#While Bill would look at pretty much any other demon or monster or abomination and go 'eh he can handle it'

[tswwwit]

And here's Bill vs Bill, aka the Pinnacle of Billmei vs Billge's Faceoff, part three. Not the finale, but that's coming very soon!

I am now going to go lie down and take a nap.

-------------------

“You’re not gonna get what you want,” Bill says.  

“Thanks.” Dipper had guessed that part five minutes ago. He rubs at the bridge of his nose. “Really great to know.”

He stares across the bare dirt in front of him. The sigils are scrawled on with a stick - he didn’t have anything else on hand - and he wasn’t expecting company. 

Company he’s currently trying to ignore. 

“I had to say something! You’re terrible at this.” From the side of the clearing, Bill snorts. “You need all the help you can get.”

Commentary from Bill never fails to be unhelpful. For the first time in a while, Dipper finds himself genuinely, unflirtingly irritated by it. Tension has been building in his shoulders for the last day and a half and they’re starting to ache. 

Bill Cipher lounges on a stump nearby. Seated in a way that couldn’t possibly be comfortable for a normal human, but has the appropriate level of drama for a demon. 

He’s spent most of the last half-hour mocking Dipper’s futile scribblings in the dirt. An unwelcome interloper, in multiple senses.

Ditching this Bill to go experiment in the forest has been a total loss. All Bills are smart, and for all that this one knew so little about their situation - still doesn’t - he’s somehow latched onto being able to locate Dipper, easy as anything.

“Do you mind?” Dipper reels on him.

“Often, as you know!” Bill shrugs that off with a grin. “C’mon, you need me for this!” He adds a slow, unsubtle wink. “Besides, all our other stuff worked out!”

Dipper makes a disgusted sound, and hears Bill start to chuckle.

The one good thing about interacting with demons? Is that Dipper doesn’t have to pretend to be nice.

Even though Bill doesn’t have the entire picture, he’s clever, and he can make inferences. All of Dipper’s reactions have shown him that this human’s not servile. It’s just enough to accept it as par for the course.

He knows that Dipper knows he’s a demon - but not that Dipper knows about demons, and how they do… stuff. As far as this Bill’s aware, the non-flirtatious insults are just how they interact. That Dipper, of course, wouldn’t know that some other ones have… implications.

There’s no reason they would be flirty, anyway. He thinks they’re just - 

Buddies.

God, Dipper hopes his Bill won’t learn about that part. It adds another layer to the joke, and not one that works in Dipper’s favor. 

Dipper breathes in, then out. Trying to relax, though his back and shoulders aren’t cooperating. 

He looks back at the interdimensional asshole and asks. “Why are you here?”

“What, did you think I wouldn’t show up?” Bill rests a hand on his chest, a near-perfect picture of surprised innocence. “Like you’d get rid of me that easy..”

Dipper tries not to grit his teeth. He stomps deliberately on the ground as he turns away.

“C’mon,” Bill’s voice is coy and almost cloyingly sweet, in a way that makes Dipper want to spit. “All this dimensional stuff you’re looking at. All that curiosity,” A tinge of something else enters his tone. There’s a soft pat, probably in his lap. “I got all the knowledge, right here! Why not enjoy it?”

Dipper picks up the stupid stick he was using to draw his stupid improvised signs into the dirt. He scrapes down a few more, simply out of spite.

He looks like a six-year old playing at being a magician, not a real one - but it’s better than letting Bill win.

For the second time ever, Dipper Pines has the dubious honor of being the focus of a Bill Cipher’s intense interest. 

It’s mostly because of his world-conquering plots, of course. Somewhat because Bill’s learned that this dimension comes with… extras, he guesses. Not that he’s getting any use of them. And partly because…

Okay, Dipper’s not sure what the rest is, but Other Bill has a way of leading down tangents that Dipper would, in any other instance, pursue. He’s had to not argue a surprising number of times. 

Dipper won’t let this guy drag him into some coquettish debate over…. leyline geometry, or anything else. Even if it’s tempting. Dipper’s dug in his metaphorical heels, because being led down that road can’t end well.

Maybe Dipper’s home dimension has something in the air, or… ether or whatever. An ephemeral thing that turns a Bill extra weird, because this doesn’t seem like it’s ‘universal’. 

The alternative would be that this is kind of multiversal, and that would mean -

Dipper grimaces.

Demons are dangerous. Bill’s the worst of them. 

Luck…. wouldn’t always run in Dipper’s favor, he thinks.

For the sake of his remaining sanity, he’s decided not to think too hard about it. 

“If you want results, you should be working with my information, not whatever crapshoot you have going on in your noggin.” Bill adds, rather pointedly pointing to the papers he tossed on the ground. They’re spread out in a loose pile, even when he could have neatly stacked them. “Take my word for it!”

Dipper doesn’t have a good response. He shrugs instead. 

The wind blows gently through the clearing, and Bill makes a face as some of the pages get caught. He raises an eyebrow. Jerks his head towards them, with a smirk.

And fuck that. 

There’s no way Dipper’s going to rifle through that mess, much less chase after it. He has some dignity, and this Bill would just love watching him scrabble through the dirt for scraps of information. Dipper refuses to entertain him. Hell, he wouldn’t do that even for his own Bill. 

And second - 

That information is absolutely, 100%, a poison pill. A trick. 

A little over thirty years ago, Bill Cipher - a Bill Cipher - nearly led Stanford Pines into ruining an entire dimension. The only reason he got caught was because Ford, in pure academic diligence - noticed something very, very subtly out of place.

Ford might be oblivious to personal interactions - but he’s downright incredible when it comes to scholarship. Even then Bill nearly tricked him into a cascade failure of literally disastrous proportions.

So yeah, Dipper’s smart. And maybe he is getting pretty okay at the dimensional stuff. But he’s barely getting into this field.

He knows way better than to think any Pines is going to get that lucky, twice. 

It’s pretty clear he’s already used up his own. 

Behind him, Dipper hears Bill starting to ramble on about something. This time with a tinge of annoyance in his tone. 

Out of the corner of his eye Dipper can see the pages caught on some bushes. Wherever the rest are, he doesn’t care anymore.

And in front of him, Dipper sees his own futile scribblings leading… precisely nowhere. 

No matter how perfectly the circle is drawn, or how his sigil handwriting is second to nobody’s, it’s basically as good as Ford’s -

He just… 

Doesn’t know what he’s doing. 

The only person who really, truly knows exactly what to do is out of reach.

There’s a copy around, sure. Right down to the intelligence, personality, and name. Even the face is downright familiar, though the expressions it wears are strange.

Dipper swallows. His mouth feels dry. 

There’s so much information to learn, infinite piles of it, offered up on a silver platter.

And none that he can trust. 

“What’s with the face?” Bill sounds cheerful, though Dipper can hear the tension behind it. Other Bill isn’t getting his way, and it’s annoying him. “Frustrated? Struggling?” He claps a hand on Dipper’s shoulder, and his voice turns that syrup-smooth tone that Dipper hates - “Between you and me, we could-”

“No world-conquering.” Dipper shrugs away from the touch on his shoulder. That’s it. He’s done. “Ever.”

“Whoa, whoa, who said anything about that? I-”

“Save it for the suckers, Bill.” Dipper turns on him, backing up a step - but not far. “I never bought it in the first place.”

Other Bill looks at him with… mild confusion. But that’s only what shows on his face. By the way his head tilts, and his shoulders set - Dipper can tell he’s thinking, fast. 

This Bill knows he’s been caught at something - and he’s equally sure he can talk his way out of it.

Dipper can’t work his way around Bill’s magical trickery. Even if he could, that’d take years, maybe decades of study. And all the while, he’d have to be lucky enough to avoid the many, many landmines that Other Bill would place in his way.

That’s not going to happen. Probability isn’t on Dipper’s side, he’s never going to learn enough to stop whatever this demon is planning. 

But he does know Bill.

His thoughts. His motives. His emotions, too. Even when he tries to hide them, Dipper can almost always find out what he’s really feeling. This might be a different version, but Dipper still understands this creature right down to - 

Well, not his bones - the few Bill has are at best non-euclidean - but Dipper gets the majority of what’s underneath his exoskeleton.

So, fuck it. Last resort.

Dipper just… asks.

“Where is he?”

“Where’s who?” Other Bill cocks his head to one side. His face flickers into an expression of not-quite concern. “You’re-”

“No.” Dipper cuts through the air with his arm. Frustration is tight in his chest. “I said I’m done playing.”

“Yeesh, you’re testy today.” Other Bill taps his foot on the ground, shaking his head. “Figures, what with all the sleep you’re not having.”

And god, comments on that have always been annoying, even from Real Bill. 

“Nice try. Sure, you’re a Bill,” Dipper stomps forward. Jabbing a finger into Other Bill’s chest, and giving him his second-worst glare. “But you’re not my Bill. And I’m tired of pretending that you’ve,” He makes finger quotes. “‘Fooled’ me.”

Bill blinks at that, for a full two seconds. ”Who says I’m-”

“That won’t get either of us anywhere.” Dipper interrupts. He runs a hand through his hair. Being angry isn’t going to work, so he tamps it down. He has to make this convincing. “We should… get you back to your place.”

Other Bill watches Dipper for a long, lingering moment.Then he lets out a long, low whistle. Shaking his head again, he takes Dipper by the shoulders. “Aaand it’s naptime for Pine Tree!” Bill strides forward, pushing Dipper along. “Boy, have you been working too hard! All this dimension stuff has really gone to your head if you’re coming up with something that crazy.”

Now Dipper digs his literal heels into the ground - something Other Bill wasn’t expecting, apparently - and manages to tear himself out of Bill’s grip. He folds his arms over himself, backing up a few steps.

Bill huffs out a sigh. “Seriously?” 

“Yeah.” Dipper folds his arms over his chest. “Seriously.”

“C’mon, we’ve known each other for years!” Other Bill spreads his arms wide. Deep concern furrows his brow, his voice softens. “You’re overthinking, kid. Maybe all this study isn’t good for you.” He beckons towards himself. “Let’s just get you-”

Dipper scoffs. It comes out almost like a laugh. Other Bill straightens up, a brief flicker of annoyance on his face. 

Bill’s bullshit isn’t going to work. Not this time. Not on Dipper. 

“If you were my Bill, you would know better.” Dipper lifts his chin. “If you were my Bill, you wouldn’t suggest that, or act like that, or…” He shakes his head. Other Bill barely did any research, and now he’s surprised he’s fucking up? “You’re really bad at this.”

A muscle in Other Bill’s jaw twitches. The rest of his face maintains the same, gentle concern. “You’re making a mistake, kid.” He sounds too calm - “If you were sane, you’d-”

“Oh, I’m not.” Dipper jabs a thumb into his chest. Almost proudly. “That’s how I know.”

Hell, Dipper gave up total sanity a long time ago. Once he realized what he’d gotten into. Once he realized he liked it. 

 “Huh.” Curiosity, apparently, overrides a Bill’s need to keep up a ruse, because he’s starting to smirk. “Never let it be said I don’t like insanity!” He tilts his head. “Enlighten me!”

Welp. He asked for it.

The smart thing to do would be to play nice. To work with this Bill, as much as is possible - to be flattering, and convincing, and massage that ego until he did want to cooperate, instead of obfuscate. It could even be easy. 

But fuck this guy. 

“Okay, so we’ll forget how you’re fucking up basic rules of this dimension, your obvious lack of knowledge,” Dipper starts. He rolls a hand in the air, in the way Bill does when he’s lecturing, and watches Other Bill’s eye twitch. “And how your acting sucks-”

Other Bill folds his arms over his chest. He starts tapping his fingers, in a slow, rhythmic beat. “More proof that you’re delusional, but sure!” He shrugs. “Why not!”

“You might have pulled it off in another world, but there’s too many details in this one.” Dipper admits. This dimension is pretty weird, if you think about it.  He rubs the back of his neck, suddenly awkward. “We’re, uh…. Kinda out there.”

“A lotta suppostions, and zero facts.” Other Bill waves them away casually. “That’s hardly evidence.”

Dipper shrugs, almost casually.  “No,” He says, very slowly. “I guess it isn’t.” 

Other Bill starts to grin. 

And Dipper shoves his left hand right in front of this smug asshole’s face. His palm - and its mark - on full display.  “But this is.”

Other Bill violently recoils, letting out a sharp, startled swear in that strange language  -

Then instantly realizes he’s blown his cover. He grimaces, hissing something else vulgar. Other Bill rubs at his eye, ducking his head.

Holy symbols don’t affect Bill, but that threw him right the hell off. A minor victory at best - yet oh, is it sweet.

Dipper waggles his hand in Other Bill’s view, and watches him turn away in disgust. “Well?” 

Other Bill clapped a hand over his eye; now he draws it slowly down his face. “What. The hell. Is wrong with that guy? I thought the body was bad, but nah, that was just the beginning!” He shudders, shoulders rising. “There’s an entire conspiracy of awful.”

“Answer the question.” Dipper insists. The jig is up, the ruse is gone. Other Bill can’t lie his way out of this now.  “Where is he?”

“Eesh, put it away already.” Other BIll flaps a hand at him. After a moment, Dipper reluctantly lowers his arm, while Other Bill sticks out his tongue. “Trust me - if you knew what that mark really meant, you wouldn’t be champing at the bit trying to find the other guy.” This… asshole.

He thinks Bill never told Dipper - 

And okay, he didn’t, Stan had to point it out first - 

But it’s like he thinks Dipper’s an idiot. That he doesn’t know exactly what he signed up for. That nobody would ever want to be - 

Dipper takes a step forward, fists clenched tight by his sides. “Where’s my husband?”

Other Bill just. Looks at him. For a long moment, face blank and staring. 

After a while, he slowly shakes his head. “I dunno what kinda demiurge got their tendrils into this particular space-time weave,“ Other Bill says carefully. Almost consideringly. “But boy, do they have a sick sense of humor. It’s almost impressive!”

“Oh, I get it.” Dipper ignores the distraction and folds his arms. This will get to him. “You don’t actually know. Do you?”

“Ha ha, very funny. Of course I know! We’ve been talking theory for days and you still haven’t guessed?” Other Bill waves his arm over the forest, vaguely skyward. “You see any big magical storms going on? Or any nice convenient rifts? No! Not even one! Things are still,” He curls up his lip as he makes finger quotes. “‘In balance.’”

And that kinda tracks. With what Dipper knows. 

Passing into another dimension is difficult for a long, long list of reasons. At the core, it’s because they’re… mostly incompatible with each other. 

The very fabric of reality keeps the planes apart, and healthy. Literally a skin between realms, since having different rules in place is like having a separate immune system. They can’t mix unless something is already compatible - or unless something’s gone terribly wrong.

But. Theoretically. 

If you knew how. And if had the magical capital to pay the tolls - You could trade out an equal measure of mass, or magic. As long as it was similar enough, it might get overlooked.

And Bill Cipher’s a huge weight in the fabric of existence, simply out of sheer magical heft. Even if his realm is the Mindscape, he’s still linked to this dimension. If a nearby place suddenly had two Bills - or no Bills - there would be some major ripples in the fabric. Causing strange phenomena. Further anomalies.

But that didn’t happen. There was only one big surge, until everything sort of…. 

Evened out.

“So.” Dipper shuts his eyes, feeling suddenly exhausted. “He’s at your place.”

His Bill wasn’t randomly transported into the beyond. He hasn’t even gone all that far.

Somewhere out in the infinite multiverse - There was a triangular gap that he could slot right into. 

“I guess you’re not totally slow.” Other Bill grins. Weirdly, he sounds pleased. “Yeah, it’s the ol’ switcheroo. Usually a decent time!” He heaves a heavy, dramatic sigh. “But I guarantee that guy’s having a way better day than I am.”

One mystery solved. Bill’s location. Relatively nearby, as these things go - 

Dipper looks up, suddenly intent. “Bring him back.” 

Other Bill raises an eyebrow. 

“Just…” Dipper fumbles, he tries to wave vaguely in a dimension-adjacent direction, which ends up being everywhere. “I mean, we’ll reverse it, right? It-”

“Oh yeah? With what?” Other Bill snorts, and sets his hands on his hips. “I’m not sitting on infinite power and influence right now, kid.” He shrugs. “Even with that it takes a lot of finagling. No dice.”

Dipper leanis his head back. 

Shit.

“But there’s good news!” Bill sounds surprisingly cheerful, and Dipper glances over - “Ripping a hole between realms is a hell of a lot easier with a native. And I don’t qualify, on several counts.” He tilts his head thoughtfully, starting to smirk. “You could really come in handy.”

Dipper simply stares.

Double shit.

“Hey, you’ve already worked with a Bill. A real messed up one.” Other Bill makes a face, glancing at Dipper’s left hand. “You wanna dick with dimensions, then you got a way better opportunity, right here.”

Dipper breathes in, then out. Right.

He… kind of figured it would come to this.

“Go fuck yourself.” 

Other Bill gives him a surprised look. Dipper flips him off. 

He’s had a lot of bad ideas in his life, but this is clearly the worst deal he’s ever been offered.

“What?” Other Bill has almost mastered the innocent look. “Don’t you wanna see your dear hubby again?” He tuts softly, resting a hand on his chest. “Poor guy might even,” He hesitates. Dipper thinks he’s trying not to gag. “‘Miss’ you!”

“Nice try.” Dipper waves it off, ignoring the slight pang in his chest. Asshole. Manipulative jerk. “But I know you didn’t leave your dimension just to sightsee.”

Other Bill’s face sours. Possibly the first genuine expression Dipper’s seen; it weirdly makes him look more like the real Bill - 

“So. no.” Dipper looks away. Clearing his throat, once. “Not a chance.” He lifts his chin. “If you hate it here, that’s your problem.” 

This demon might not have enough leverage, or magic, in this realm to pull it off -  but he did say ‘Right now’.

Other Bill makes a low sound in his throat, so. Yeah, Dipper’s right. Again. 

For this to happen in the first place. This strange and bullshit switch - 

Someone had to start it.

“What was wrong with your place?” Dipper asks, because - okay, it’s dumb, but Bill loves talking. And hell, he’s always curious. “Too much competition?”

“Pfft, hardly! Kinda the opposite.” Other Bill flicks his fingers dismissively, then examines his nails. Starting to smile again, that ego bloating with pride.  “I did that dimension already, y’know? All conquering, no contest.” He shrugs. “Can’t blame a guy for wanting a little novelty.”

Greedy jerk. One wasn’t enough for him. A second, like he’s obviously trying for - Dipper rubs at his eyes.

How many is ever going to be enough? Will there ever be? If his world’s Bill Cipher seems messed up, it’s only because all of them are.

“I’m your only chance, Pine Tree.” Other Bill has mastered the convincing tone. It’s almost a shame he’s wasting it on the wrong person. “How about you-”

Dipper flips him off. Both hands this time.

With a huff, Other Bill folds his arms. “Fine. Be like that.” He turns slightly away, looking disgruntled. “You’re a stubborn little mortal.”

“I didn’t help my husband take over the world.” Dipper mimics his stance. Turning away a bit himself. “I’m not lifting a finger to help you.”

God, he’s exhausted.

And damn it, now he’s going to have to get Ford to help. It’s going to be ten times more difficult, and way slower. Half of that will be convincing him that yeah, actually, they should try to get Bill back. Throw in whatever this Bill pulls in the Mindscape, and Dipper can already tell this is going to be a huge pain.

“Y’know, if there’s any upside to all of this,” Other Bill starts, slow. Dipper feels himself tense. “It’s that the other guy might make a recovery.”

“I-” Dipper hesitates. 

This is a trick. Manipulation, Bill’s all about that - He grits his teeth. “There’s nothing wrong with him.”

“Oh, how cute. You’re fully delusional!” Other Bill’s tone turns syrup-sickly sweet. It makes Dipper grimace. “Guess other me pulled a great scam on ya! But I gotta tell you…” A slow, serious shake of the head. “He’s sick.”

That’s obviously not - 

True?

Dipper meets Bill's eye and finds nothing but smug sincerity. 

“Being back at my place will be great for him! All the power and influence and stuff you could ever want!” Other Bill spreads his arms at some invisible grandeur. “He’s spent too long in this body, being powerless. You think that’s good for a demon?” A raised eyebrow. “Even the slightest bit healthy?“

And… okay, Bill does spend a lot of time in reality - but he has the Mindscape - Dipper didn’t take that away, that - that has to - 

“No wonder he came down with something! Without other people to manipulate, he had to let it out somewhere!” Bill shakes his head pityingly. “In all this time, the only trick he managed to pull - “ The smirk turns mocking - “Was convincing himself he wanted you.” 

Sincere, still, though - maybe it’s just out of spite, that’s a major part of any Bill’s makeup - But. the way he says it - 

Dipper doesn’t know what to say, he tucks an arm over his stomach. 

For the first time in a while, he really, really wishes he knew less about Bills.

“Yep, I figure a few days of actual autonomy will get his angles straight.” Other Bill sets his fists on his hips, nodding to himself. “No gross body, no boring reality, and most of all - “ He snorts. “No ball and chain.” 

Dipper stands up straight, indignant. “I-”

“Sure, you’ve got an okay brain, I guess.” A sharp, dismissive wave. Dipper feels his face heat up - was he looking? “But your guy’s spent about forty-eight hours getting a taste of real freedom.” A shrug, fingers waving away some invisible stink from Dipper’s hand. “Trust me. He’s already wondering why that seemed like a good idea.”

“He wouldn’t.” Dipper stands firm. No, fuck that. The marriage was Bill’s idea in the first place. “He-”

Dipper stops himself before he says something stupid, shutting his mouth with a click.

He can’t talk about the… other part. 

That thing is true, too. Even though it sounds improbable. Impossible, in fact. It’s too weird, even for a Bill, and definitely too sane. No version of Bill should ever, or would ever do it. 

Other Bill will only think it’s bullshit, and mock him for thinking there was a chance.

Dipper lets his arm drop. His fists clench. 

He knows better.

“Oh, please. And people call me arrogant!” Other Bill stalks forward. “He's already forgotten you, kid. Think about it!"

Dipper doesn't back up - he won't give in, now or ever - but he holds back a flinch. Other Bill is right in his face, now. 

"What's better - Infinite power, freedom, and control over a slice of the multiverse -” He hisses. Teeth bared white in his smile. “Or one mouthy little brat.”

Dipper meets that single, strange, and glowing eye. Not backing up, even an inch. He watches Other Bill’s sneer turn into a glare. 

They’re so close that Dipper can feel the heat of that illusionary body, worn like an ill fitting suit by this… jackass. 

Who’s also a complete, absolute idiot.

“If your place was so great, you wouldn’t have ditched it.” Dipper states, watching Other Bill blink in surprise. Dipper sets his jaw. “So yeah. I think I know what he’d pick.”

No snappy response - Other Bill’s caught off his footing. 

For once, shoving a Bill with all his strength actually makes him back up a step. Dipper straightens his back, suddenly proud.  

“This universe already has a Bill Cipher. Yeah, maybe he hasn’t taken this plane over. Yet.” Or ever, but that’s a minor detail. “But he's a better actor. And smarter. And more vicious, and clever, and…” Saying all of this out loud feels strange. Sheer irritation carries Dipper onward, though he stumbles getting it out. “And funnier, and way cooler than you.”

Other Bill glares at him, but stays silent. The corner of his mouth twitches.

“In every way that counts, he’s better than you.”  He stabs a finger into Other Bill’s chest with each word, back tense and face hot with anger. Stepping forward even as a part of him recognizes this might not be great - “You’re just some dull-witted, myopic knockoff.” 

There’s a long silence. 

Dipper heaves out a breath, trying to calm down. This was. - He shakes his head, disgusted.

“Alright.” Bill nods slowly, almost thoughtful. He lifts his hands in the air with a simple shrug. “I see how it is.”

A  sudden crack sends Dipper reeling. 

He hits the bare ground on his side, breath forced out of his chest. 

When his vision comes back, Dipper stares numbly forward. 

He's on the ground? His left eye doesn't want to stay open, and - and strangely, his ear is ringing, and moments later the pain blooms in his cheek and jaw. Sharp and throbbing all at once -  a splitting headache follows it up a moment later, and Dipper groans. The light hurts his eyes - the one that’s cooperating anyway - so he shuts it.

There’s a muffled sound, and Dipper feels a hard impact on his side, a voice hissing, “-et up.”

This time Dipper rolls onto his back, breath escaping in a huff. Above him, BIll’s standing and smirking, one hand extended downward. Dipper reaches up to take it. 

And the crushing grip, tight around his wrist, sends pain down his arm and the sharp, sick reminder that. Oh. Right. 

This isn’t his Bill

“You,” Other BIll says, grip tightening - Dipper groans, teeth clenched - “Have been spoiled rotten.”

He hauls Dipper up. High up - 

Bill raises him until his feet barely skim the ground. Suspended like this, his whole arm aches, shoulder wrenched upwards -

“Funny thing, though.” Other Bill muses, cupping Dipper’s chin in his other palm. “Maybe I can’t  coax you-”  His thumb digs, hard, into Dipper’s cheek, and a burst of pain sends Dipper’s vision swimming again. “But one good swat and you’re way less mouthy!” 

Dipper can’t pull away, he can’t even find his feet. Grabbing Bill’s arm makes his grip tighten into something sickening, he thinks he feels a crack - kicking out only puts more tension on his already aching arm, twisting it in the socket. 

“Still feisty, huh?” Other Bill tuts softly. Then smirks. He tilts Dipper’s head back. “Now that I know how to handle ya, that's no big deal.”

Bill’s body is unnaturally strong, and he wasn’t pulling the blow. Through a kind of haze, Dipper’s faintly glad Bill went for a slap over a punch. He’s hurting, it’s hard to concentrate - but he doesn’t think his jaw is broken. 

More than anything, Dipper wants to glare, but he can’t lower his chin. He can’t tense his jaw to speak, either. Bill’s thumb burns into his cheek like a brand, a point of stabbing pressure.

“Aw, what’s the matter?” Other Bill shakes Dipper’s face roughly, like a dog worrying a bone. “Not got much to say anymore?”

“Ghnnn.” Not… much of a protest. Best he did was bare his teeth, and the throbbing in his head is twice as bad now - Dipper shuts his mouth before he can make a stupider sound.

Weirdly, this Bill starts grinning even harder.

“Boy, you got some fire in you, Pine Tree. And y’know what?” Bill tilts his head to one side. He chuckles, grinning wider. “I almost see why he didn’t try to snuff it out!”

Other Bill swings him lightly, side to side, before giving him a toss.

Dipper hits the ground again, hard. He props himself up, only to find one wrist won’t support his weight and swears. Sitting up turns from a simple move into an awkward scuffle.

The whole time, Other Bill watches him, with a smirk on his face. Like he’s admiring his work.

Frustration surges in Dipper’s chest. 

Pushing this guy into the Mindscape has moved from a ‘soon’ priority to a ‘now.’ 

There’ll be a chance. Once he stops being grabby. It has to be when he’s not holding on, or Dipper will get dragged along for the trip - and it’s not like things would get better after that.

Dipper takes a slow, shaking breath. “You’re not-”

Other Bill backhands Dipper with an idle smack. “Ah ah ah!” He wags a finger. “I’ve heard enough from you.”

Dipper’s elbow hits the ground, his vision swims. That slap wasn’t as hard as the previous, probably. Just in the same-ish place, resonating with pain like a bell. Normally he’d have a followup, but nothing comes to him.

Damn it, he’s been through fights, more than a few at this point - but this one is messing with him. 

“Despite everything, you could still be useful.” Bill says, low soothing. He kneels in front of Dipper, one elbow on his upraised knee. “Once I get this dimension under my thumb, it’s back to business!”

Dipper wipes at his mouth with the back of his hand. It comes away streaked with red. 

“Work with me here! We could get the whole shebang started,” Other Bill continues, eye bright. “When I’m back in power, things are gonna be great.”

He holds out a hand. 

Dipper stares at it.

“Infinite power. No more bullshit rules.” Leaning in, Other Bill smiles, white and wild. “Help me out, and I’ll even be generous!” He waggles his fingers. “When I control reality - you can have anything you want.”

Dipper looks up at… this Bill. 

At a stranger, puppeting a familiar face. 

It’s a face that Dipper knows so well.

Knowing when it’s happy. When it’s upset. When it’s about to burst out laughing, or starting to sulk. When it’s a different monster behind that mask - when it doesn’t have that hidden contempt behind it - it’s even handsome. 

The distance between them is so close, and his husband’s still a million miles away. 

Other Bill makes a low sound in his throat. Maybe he saw something in Dipper’s own face, because he slowly rises up. 

“Anything,” Other Bills hisses out the words through gritted teeth. “Except that.”

Dipper grunts as Bill grabs him by his hair. He tries to jerk away, but he already has a headache, this just makes things worse.

“He’s outta here, kid. Vanished. Kaput!” Other Bill yanks him forward, and Dipper smacks a palm on the ground before the hold in his hair is the only thing supporting him. “He’s gone.” 

Though Other Bill turns his head upwards - Dipper shuts his eyes. 

“Face it, Pine Tree.” The low words ring in Dipper’s ear’s, and there’s hot breath on his face - “You’re stuck with me.”

Dipper’s been injured before - bruised, some burns, a broken bone - but it wasn’t like this. He knew Bill was strong, but it wasn’t supposed to hurt so bad. 

He feels his head get shaken again. The grip is too tight - Dipper’s eyes are stinging, and frustration burns so hot in his chest that it feels almost physical. 

The second this asshole lets go, he’s out of here. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, or how much Dipper has to work, he’s going to get rid of this jerk, and get his own jerk back. Even if it takes years. Even if it takes decades.

Anger surges inside him, and he struggles. When Dipper looks up at that horrible, smug laughter, he almost sees red in the corner of his eye.

Only…

Other Bill stops cackling. 

He glances over to Dipper’s right and quirks an eyebrow up. 

EIther that’s some complicated ruse, reading Dipper’s emotional state, maybe even what he’s seeing - 

Or - now Other Bill lets him drop, stalking away, eye narrowed - it’s not.

Dipper glances over, and his own eyebrows shoot up. 

Okay.

That's different.

Living in Gravity Falls shows you a lot of weird stuff, if you’re the kind of person who really wants to see it. Not many people get into the gritty details, or do a lot of research. 

Dipper and Ford are probably the only two people who ever really got into it, and Ford’s not here all that often. That leaves Dipper to be the resident Gravity Falls expert. 

This is one even he hasn’t seen before. 

The glow isn’t a figment of his imagination, it’s real.

Real, and weird.

There’s a long, bright eggshell-crack in the middle of the air, glowing in shades of  white-yellow… Something. That one color that Dipper has only seen in the Mindscape. The one Bill thinks is ‘pretty’. 

This thing is the source of the red light, radiating an eerie hellish aura, as the cracks start to grow and spread.

Judging by the way Other Bill looks at it, eye alight with pure avarice - rubbing his hands together, too - 

“Ha! Now there’s what I was looking for!” Other Bill strides forward, grinning wide.

Dipper grimaces.

Well. There’s his freaking ‘wound in the skin of reality’, apparently.

Just great.

 “A rift.” Other Bill purrs. He clenches his fist, grinning wide and triumphant. He starts laughing, loud and wild, lifting his arms -  “Finally, a good surprise!”

And around him, the earth shifts, and changes. 

Several rocks totter away on unsteady, newly-formed legs. A bird darts overhead and sprouts several more wings - and a the head of a deer - before it burst into flames with a squawk. 

Dipper feels his blood run cold.

Shit.

The skin of a dimension keeps its internal rules in place. When there’s a break in that, things get shifting, and strange, it isn’t meant to work like this. Just like Bill in the Mindscape - in a place where he isn’t restricted - 

When nothing enforces ‘you can’t’ - he has enough power to stand up and ask ‘why not?’

“It’s about time.” Other Bill’s laughter turns into a cackle. He stands in front of that new break in the universe, shoulders squared. “I can’t wait to get started!”

Proud, and full of his own power. 

All of it.

“Welp, guess I don’t need you anymore!” Other Bill shrugs, tilting his head with a coy grin. “Credit where it’s due - it wasn’t boring, Pine Tree!” He waves, and winks. “I’ll at least give ya that!”

Dipper watches as he paces forward - then pause. Other Bill lifts a finger in the air.

“But then again…” Other Bill hums for a moment. Dipper feels a tendril of dread seep into him.

Then Other Bill curls his finger towards himself, and Dipper gets dragged over the dirt by an invisible force.

“When it comes to you, eh.” Other Bill waggles a hand, and winks. “Maybe I’ll-”

The world goes ‘zmm’ for a moment with a taste of oranges, and a smell like earwax. The air wibbles like it’s under intense heat, only with a paisley pattern. 

Other Bill starts. He turns back towards the rift, somewhat surprised. "What."

And Dipper skids to a stop, bracing himself on the ground. He clutches at the bare dirt like it’s a lifeline, heart pounding in his chest. 

He can’t tell what’s going on. He doesn’t know what to do. But whatever’s stopping Other Bill from acting, he could practically kiss it, he’s so grateful. 

And a hand bursts out of the rift, cracking it further open. 

The motion sends not-real splinters of unreality shattering to the forest floor, bubbling up into nothingness. Dipper stares as it pats around for a moment, until it finds another part of the crack, and pushes. 

It’s a weird hand. A strange hand, black and formlessly weird. 

Instantly recognizable.

The hat pops out next. Then a top corner emerges, with a single eye shut as he strains. 

Other Bill smacks himself over the eye, muttering. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Dipper feels his heart surge, and he starts to smile. 

Bill Cipher always comes back. 

His Bill is there, Dipper can feel the bond bright inside him, like a light. Showing exactly who it is, and where he is, right down in his soul. Not distant anymore, not gone anywhere, Bill’s right there.

Bill swears, and shoves, and pushes against that interdimensional wound until his bottom angles follow him out, popping fully into reality -

And he instantly flops to the ground. Surface first, with a resonating ‘thud’. There’s some muffled swearing. Bill’s legs flail in the air. 

“Blegh.” Bill shakes himself. “Stupid friggin’-” He shoves himself up off the ground, muttering in a distinctly grumpy manner. “Lousy hack built the worst goddamn-” 

Other Bill coughs into his fist, turning away and looking distinctly uncomfortable. A bad look for one Bill must bruise both their egos. 

“Whoo! Now that was a trip,” Bill says, finally over himself. He starts dusting off his sides. He glances back at the rift, rolling in its socket. “Not as dramatic an entrance as I’d like, but eh,” He shrugs and floats in the air, lower eyelid lifted and arms raised. “Hey, Gravity Falls! Good to be back!” 

Doing the impossible is in Bill’s purview, and usually Dipper tries to figure it out. There’s always questions when it comes to his demon. Always the urge to make it seem reasonable.

This time, Dipper has no questions, at all. Bill can do whatever the hell he likes.

“And boy, lemme tell ya,” Bill continues, brushing his hat off. He plops it down to float over his top corner, fists resting on his sides. “You would not believe the day I’ve had.”

Other Bill clears his throat, and steps forward, halfway blocking Dipper’s view. The jerk. 

“Huh.” Bill folds his arms over himself, leaning forward, eye narrow. “You.”

“Well, well, well,” Other Bill says. There’s a smile on his face, with no humor behind it. “If it isn’t Bill! Nice to see ya!”

“Bill.” Bill floats closer, looking him over. His fingers drum on his other arm. “Real nice to meet ya.” A clear and blatant lie.

There’s a long, awkward silence. 

“So….” Other Bill trails off, clearly searching for a topic. Once he alights on one, he grins. “How was the vacation?” A wink. “ Thought you might need one, considering…” He waves over… everything. “Your place.”

“Oh, ‘vacation’, he says.” Bill makes the finger quotes, flaring bright gold. “Sure, I've had a good look around your digs.” He sets his fists on his sides. “And lemme tell ya, I was not impressed.”

Other Bill snorts - though his back straightens in offense “C’mon, it’s pre-conquered! Free reign over a whole plane!” He spreads his arms wide with a smile. “Compared to this craphole, what’s not to like?”

“Oh, of course! Why didn’t I think of that?” Bill smacks his top corner, low and sarcastic. “Except that taking things over is seventy percent of the fun!” Bill glows brighter, slightly tinged with red. “You plopped your pre-chewed gum of a dimension in my palm outta friggin’ nowhere!”

Other Bill draws himself up self-importantly. “Like what you’ve got is-”

“Ah, cram it. I didn’t come back for this.” Bill shoves him to one side, dismissive, and floats right past him. Other Bill stays upright, but his shoes leave a streak in the dirt. He sputters, indignant. Bill glares, pointing two fingers at him. “I’ll deal with you later.”

As that single, strange eye finally alights on him, Dipper scrambles to get to his feet.

He wants to see Bill again. He wants to grab this stupid triangle and shake him, and yell at him, try and crush those metal angles like a tin can in his arms, even though it’s impossible -

“Hey there, sapling!” Bill spreads his noodly black arms wide, lower eyelid raised, and glowing. “How’re you-”

Only when Dipper moves to prop himself onto his feet, he forgets about his wrist.

It fails within the first push - Dipper swears - and he thumps back down into the dirt.

Across the clearing, Bill’s slit pupil narrows to a thin line. His arms drop.

Great. Instead of leaping up, and being cool and dramatic, Dipper looked dumb.

He lets his head drop onto the ground. Even the rest of his face feels hot now. 

Shit, he should -

“Hm.” It’s a low, displeased sound. 

Then Dipper hears Other Bill speak up - 

“Oh no. No no no no, and no. C’mon, you’re smarter than this.” Other Bill sounds almost… scolding? “Believe it or not, I got an understanding of your particular damage.” His voice holds a sneer. “You gotta know how messed up you are!”

Okay, what?

Dipper rolls onto his side, pushing himself into a sitting position. He has to see this. 

His Bill’s gone fully red now. Growing, and - actually, he keeps growing, eye black and full of golden symbols. He cracks nonexistent knuckles. One hand, then the other.

“Oh come on! This is bullshit!” Other Bill looks up at him with disgust, head tilting back as Bill grows. Some confusion flickers over his face. He glances over, waves an arm at Dipper. “He’s just a-”

One enormous hand draws its index finger back, and flicks.

Watching Other Bill sail over - then through - some of the treeline makes Dipper feel the best he has in at least two days. 

By the distant, but loud cracking of branches - Dipper winces at a particularly loud one - That Bill… might not be out of commission. But it’ll be a long, long walk to get back to the rift he wanted.

“Welp!” Bill shrinks down again, brushing off his hands. Golden again, and bright. “That’s a problem for later.” He casts a glare at the arc Other Bill made through the branches, and sets his hands on his sides. “Jeez, what a prick.”

Bill floats over, and Dipper glances up at the irritated, eerie shape in front of him “As for you, kid. -”

Bill’s triangular form starts to wobble and shift. Weirdly bright, and oddly silent. Dipper shuts his eyes against the light. When he looks again, it’s at -

A recognizable face. With a bright grin on said face, charming and pleased. 

“Bet you’re glad to see a familiar look. Huh?” Bill - in a human shape, the one he’s always in - winks. “Get it?” He waits for a beat - then rolls his eye, and holds out an arm towards Dipper. “Alright, get up already.”

Dipper just…  stares at him for a moment. 

He did know Bill could shapeshift. Size and color and some varieties of geometry he’s seen, but he wasn’t aware it could be this… thorough. Though he supposes Bill hasn’t really had much reason; he’s not typically out of shape. 

Bill’s grin falls by a fraction. “Sure, don’t break out the party crackers and champagne or anything. Totally wasn’t a pain in the angles getting that mess sorted.” He jerks a thumb in the rift’s direction. He waits a bit, then pushes the smile back on his face. “Aw, you’re too stunned to react! C’mere!”

Dipper gets hauled up, Bill holding him under his arms. He shuts his eyes, and clenches his jaw tight. Bill’s grip isn’t hard - if anything it’s less so than usual -  but Dipper’s wrist really didn’t like being moved again.

“What, did you think I wouldn’t show up?” Bill’s grin widens. He’d probably be preening if he wasn’t holding Dipper up like he just won a carnival prize - though his gaze keeps darting over Dipper. “Like you’d get rid of me that easy.”

Dipper doesn’t have a response ready. He… should probably think of one.

Nothing comes to mind, though. Mostly there’s headache and faceache and just… ache, with relief and surprise fighting for the steering wheel. Wit’s so far in the backseat it might as well be in the trunk.

Bill’s grin continues falling by degrees; it falters. Glancing over Dipper, up and down, turning him slightly side to side

“C’mon, sapling, speak up.” Dipper gets jostled, just a quick couple bounces. Now Bill’s face is strange, and serious. He even pauses, and Dipper dimly realizes he hasn’t seen this expression before - “I hate it when you won’t talk.”

True enough. His Bill hates not getting a response, the attention hogging, narcissistic - 

Dipper breathes in, shakily, and sighs. He looks at his stupid demon, exasperated. “Put me down, Bill.”

The grin blooms again, even brighter this time. “Ha! I don’t think so!” Dipper watches Bill’s posture change as relief rises off him like steam. He pulls Dipper closer, pressing an overly-dramatic smooch on his jaw. “You already had your vacation from me, Pine Tree. I’ll do whatever I want!”

It’s ridiculous, and - and maybe a little sentimental, but Dipper feels heat rise to his face. Like warmth spreads out from where Bill’s touching him.

Dipper blinks rapidly, and clears his throat. “Let me down?” He tugs at Bill's arm, just gently.

“Alright, alright,” Bill, surprisingly, relents without much fight. He sets Dipper on his feet, smile fading somewhat. “Let’s have a look at ya, anyway.” 

“I’m fine.” Dipper lets his forehead drop against Bill’s shoulder. It’s solid and warm. Tension is dropping out of his shoulders, which is probably why they’re shaking. 

Dipper’s been in worse shape - and in better - but things are a hell of a lot finer than even three minutes ago. 

“Right,” Bill says, very dry. Dipper gets pushed slightly away, a knuckle tilts his chin upwards. “‘Cause this just screams fine, like a horrorshow!” Bill’s eye darts over his face - frowning now, lips drawn tight. “Where else did he get ya?”

Weird question. "Nothing serious.”  Dipper tries tucking his arm by his side, but that only makes Bill's face turn down more. “It’s cool.”

"It's only 'cool', for a guy who's lost all sense of thermoregulation." Bill tugs Dipper’s arm up by the elbow, glaring at his wrist. Admittedly, it is swelling a little. “You’re real crap at lying.”

Dipper watches as Bill taps a warm finger on the reddening skin, and sucks in a sharp breath. Bill’s lip twitches. He lets the arm down carefully, only to grasp Dipper’s sides. 

“Don’t bother covering stuff up, ‘cause for once I’m not messing with you.” Bill says, flat this time. "Own up to the rest, already." And at Dipper’s look of confusion - Bill tugs him closer, strangely serious. ”He wouldn’t have started with the face.”

Dipper swallows, and nods. 

Sure, he knows Bill -  but Bill definitely knows himself, so that’s. Deeply unnerving, on multiple levels.

But also, thankfully, wrong. 

Bill’s running his hands up and down, squeezing like he’s checking for a soft spot on some produce. Not finding much - though there’s a spot on Dipper’s ribs he hadn’t noticed himself. For some reason Bill’s only more insistent after that -

“Hey.” Dipper taps Bill on the cheek. He offers a half-smile, the best he can manage. It startles Bill enough that his inspection slows. “I missed you.”

Maybe Bill has a follow up to that. Maybe he’s going to insult, or - something, but fuck it, Dipper did miss him, and - 

He wraps his arms around his husband. One can’t join in properly, but Dipper thumps Bill between the shoulders, and hugs on tight.

Let him try to get away from this.

Possessive arms clamp around him in response. A comforting bear trap that Dipper intentionally set off, even if it isn’t nearly as squishing as usual. Like Bill isn’t certain how much to hold him, even though he’s had plenty of experience.

Dipper relaxes into it anyway. 

When Bill shapeshifted, he must have used the body template he’s used to wearing. Even now, Dipper can feel his heart, steady and comforting, beating somewhat faster than the usual second-and-a-half pace.

Then Bill sighs. “Well, whatever. You’re pretty intact! All limbs accounted for and everything!” A firm kiss gets planted on Dipper’s forehead. Then another on his temple, before Bill basically shoves Dipper’s face against his neck. Adding a couple thumps of his own on Dipper’s back. “Not too shabby, all things considered.”

Bill finally squeezes Dipper’s waist with one arm. His other hand cups the back of Dipper's head, fingers carding through Dipper’s hair, once, then twice.

Every time Bill wants to hug Dipper close, he throws in human-abnormal pressure. Not painful, just to one side of uncomfortable; like he’ll never, ever let Dipper escape his grasp.

Dipper matches it as well as he can. He kind of gets it now.

With the sounds of the forest, and Bill here, and holding him, it’s almost like things are normal. Quiet and still, while he feels the warmth of Bill's body his arms, and the bright red glow of the air - 

Dipper jerks his head up.

Staring at the still-extant crack in reality.

Thankfully it doesn’t seem to have grown since, but if he looks too close it kinda hurts his eyes. And part of his brain.

“Uh.” Dipper taps Bill a few times on the shoulder. There's a sigh against his scalp, as Bill hums something quietly. Dipper taps a little harder. “Bill?”

“What?” The word is slightly muffled by Dipper’s hair. 

Dipper nudges him. “Should I be worried about that?”

“Hm?” It takes Bill a moment - he tilts his head, following Dipper’s gaze - then smirks. He snorts, like Dipper pointed out a big scary bug in the bathroom. “Pfft, oh, that.” 

True to form, a ten-foot eggshell crack in the flesh of the universe doesn’t seem like a big deal to him. Dipper leans back and meets his eye skeptically.

“That’s barely a papercut, not a genuine fistula. Nothing important..” Bill waves over the rift, other arm staying tight on Dipper’s waist. “We got bigger fish to fry!”

Dipper hesitates. “Uh.” He darts a look at the rift, then back again. “Really?”

“Oh, definitely! That Bill and I have some unfinished business,” Bill’s eye glows red, and his grin shows an absurd amount of teeth. “We’ve gotta have a little chat.”

#Bill vs Bill #Okay now what to say in the tags #Without spoiling anything in the post hmmmm except okay there's a little violence guys #Okay first of all yes the thing gets further elaborated on in the next part #Second I wonder how many people googled that word and went 'ew' #And third this entire concept was so big brained because #While Bill would look at pretty much any other demon or monster or abomination and go 'eh he can handle it' #If there's one being in the multiverse Bill isn't going to underestimate it's himself #And Bill knows to the Exact Degree how nasty he can get #He had a whole two days to stew in that knowledge #With only the information that Dipper was still alive which is arguably not all that helpful #Dipper's usually got the runaway imagination but Bill's isn't any less powerful in terms of imagery and creativity #I've already started writing the fourth and final part and hopefully that'll go over well #Hopefully this part goes over well and you liked it! #Other/Weirdmaggedon Bill is not very happy about this turn of events as you can imagine #Things aren't just going to get nasty they're gonna get PERSONAL #Our Bill would shell out huge amounts of cash or favors to hear some of those things Dipper said #I hope you enjoy this silly fic and thank you for reading #Just one more part left though it'll be a big one! #I even have a fun epilogue idea that I may never get to but we'll see how things go

[andrewmoocow]

Gravity Soul chapter 12: Mabel’s Confession, A Rift Between Siblings? (originally posted on January 21, 2019)

AN: Well, this is going to be pretty painful for me to write. I mean, MABEL is my favorite Gravity Falls character, not going to lie. But I'm starting to get the hang of angst ever since I finished Secret Wars so I guess I have no choice. Anyway, now onto the eventual heartwrenching breakup.

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In the hellish landscape ruled by Kishin Cipher that once was the sleepy Oregon town of Gravity Falls, various ogres, giant bats, snakes, gargoyles and various other monsters ran amok wreaking havoc wherever they could while their new master towered above them partying in his Fearamid.

There was little hope of resistance as most of the townsfolk had been abducted & petrified by the Eyebats with the rest nowhere to be found. But today, that was all going to change.

"Keep moving everyone, Kishin Cipher could be watching us at any moment." Sid commanded his squadron as they infiltrated the Fearamid, trying to be as quiet as possible to avoid detection. "We should be nearing his throne room at any moment. The monsters hanging out with him are too busy throwing a party to notice us, so we should be safe."

"So what's this guy's game?" a blonde-haired young man with a casual expression on his face asked. "Didn't you pay attention to the mission briefing Clay?" his partner, a black-haired fellow wearing glasses and a jacket with Death's face emblazoned on them, stated. "Kishin Cipher is actually Asura after he made a deal with a dream demon named Bill Cipher."

"We should be at the entrance right about now." Justin declared with his back against the wall turning his head to examine the satanic festivities. Various demons of all shapes and sizes laughed, danced, drank some bizarre refreshment and played a spin-the-bottle like game with a petrified townsperson.

"This is an utter nightmare." Tezca commented fearfully, a far cry from his typical humorous behavior. His simian partner Enrique tried to lighten the mood with some chattering, but was shushed by his Meister. "Shush Enrique, we gotta keep a low profile!"

"That's not all, look over there!" Mifune stated turning the group's attention to Kishin Cipher's throne. It seemed to be made out of stone but upon further inspection, that stone material was actually the terrified population of Gravity Falls pieced together to form it. "That is just terrible! What kind of monster would be sick enough to do this?!"

"Kishin Cipher, that's who." Djinn replied. Just then, a dark blue android marched past them with a cup of punch in hand. "The hell even is that thing?" Tsar wondered getting more nervous by the moment. "I don't know. But I got a plan!" an excitable soldier working under Sid declared marching out of their hiding spot to face the robot. "Gavin you moron!" Sid cried out. "You'll get yourself killed!"

"Don't worry boss, I watched way too much TV to figure this one out!" Gavin stated tapping the machine on the back. "Ex-squeeze me my good mechanical abomination!" he said to the automaton as it turned around to glare at him, green eyes glowing menacingly. "Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong!" Gavin politely greeted while making a series of bizarre hand signals, ending it with extending his open palm to the robot. "I think it's working."

Unfortunately he was wrong as the android quickly grabbed him by the wrist and raised him up for Kishin Cipher to see. "Master, we have an intruder!" the android announced in a British accent. The other beasts ceased their celebrations and stared at the man being held hostage. "I said the universal greeting, that always works!"

"Well well well, what have we here?" Kishin Cipher snidely asked before looking at the back of Gavin's uniform. "The DWMA, huh? Ooh, I'm really scared!" he shouted with a laugh. "C'mon out you guys, I won't bite! In fact, I'll probably swallow you whole!"

Suddenly Kishin Cipher was trapped in a guillotine, the blade hanging above him with Justin Law's face appearing as a reflection on its surface. "In the name of Lord Death, you shall be executed you beast!" he declared bringing the blade down when suddenly, Cipher let out an explosion that freed him from the young Death Scythe's grasp. "That the best you can do squirt?! I've seen twelve-year olds hit me harder than that!"

When Justin recovered from being blown back, part of his face was badly scarred and his left shoulder almost singed off. He groaned in pain grasping his shoulder as Kishin Cipher towered above him, ready for the finishing blow. "So brat, where is your god now?"

Justin replied by getting down on one knee and reciting a prayer. "O God who dost abide in the city of death, hear our prayers. Let thy holy name be righteousness." he muttered as his soul began getting larger. "Hear me O Lord...make me a servant of thy holy peace...I shall be a pillar of righteousness...a blade of faith...in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost..." He bounded high above Kishin Cipher and prepared to fire a mighty beam of light. "LAW-ABIDING SILVER GUN!"

The beam went straight to Kishin Cipher's neck but instead of decapitating him, reality warped around the Dream Kishin to divert the beam away from him and right through Justin's torso, causing him to fall down on the floor of the Fearamid hard. "You know kid, I quite like you. Can't believe someone actually came close to killing me!" he applauded sarcastically hovering over the wounded Justin as an Eyebat turned his bloodied form to stone. "Which is why I got a very special place for you on my throne!"

With an irritating cackle, Kishin Cipher slammed Justin on the back of the throne directly over his head. "Now then, anyone else want a round with me? Or are we all just chicken?" he challenged as Kaguya, White Rabbit, Moonlight and the Black Clown appeared at his beck and call.

"I just want to say, from the bottom of my heart, sorry for screwing this all up." Gavin sincerely apologized as he was petrified and added to the throne as well. "Well this has become FUBAR!" Dengu commented preparing to run away. "Indeed, we should retreat somewhere where he can't find us and wait for the Pines to come!" Zubaidah added making her escape as well when the Clowns blocked the way. "Or not."

"That's right gang, round them all up! I wanna send a message to old man Death!" Kishin Cipher announced as his minions surrounded the remaining spies. "Uh, K.C., we have a bit of a situation." Giriko announced to his master. "Okay, what is it Buzzsaw?" the overlord asked, his expression changing from sadistic to unamused. "There seems to be more intruders coming for us." the Demon Saw stated. "And I think you might recognize them."

Just as Giriko finished, a pterodactyl came flying in through the window behind the throne with a familiar werewolf & witch riding on its back. "You two?!" Kishin Cipher screamed in shock. "I believe now's the time we bring out the belt!" Free declared preparing his magic. "Wolf, wolves! Wolf, wolves!" he chanted. "Ice Bind!"

Ice began forming around Kishin Cipher's feet, its sheer weight trapping him on the ground. "Good one Free!" Eruka shouted as the pterosaur landed in front of Sid's group. "Holy crap, is that a pterodactyl?!" Tezca shouted in amazement. "I think that looks more like a pteranodon." Feodor replied. "Hey wait a minute, you are Medusa's goons, da?"

"We were." Eruka said stroking their flying steed's beak for a job well done. It was here that Sid began to take notice of the question mark shirt Free was now wearing. "I know that symbol! You wouldn't happen to know any strange hairless gopher manchildren?" the zombie asked. "Gophers? Don't think I ever met any gophers?" the Man with the Demon Eye answered. "Though I think that would be awesome!"

"He's talking about Soos Free! And yes, we know him and his friends, the Pines family." Eruka said. "They freed us from Medusa and we returned the favor by helping them save their friend and escape town."

"But isn't that against witch law?" Djinn wondered. "We don't got no time, let's make like the wind and begone!" Free commanded before they all saddled up on the pterodactyl and it flew out of the triangular opening in the front. "Now why didn't we enter through there?"

As the group retreated, Kishin Cipher became so furious that the ice imprisoning his feet rapidly melted and he literally exploded in anger. "THEY DARE RUN AWAY LIKE THAT?! NOT ON MY WATCH!" he screamed. "AFTER THEM!" At his command, the Henchmaniacs, the Four Madnesses & the Clowns flew off with an army of Eyebats behind them.

The pterosaur flew as fast as it could away from the Fearamid before the army of monsters finally caught up to them. "We're going to need to go long-range! Zubaidah, now!" Djinn ordered his Meister transforming into a small oil lamp with an ornate design. "Soul Resonance!"

When the belly dancer rubbed the lamp, out came a puff of smoke that formed into a genie folding his arms with a firm glare. Suddenly Kryptos fired a laserbeam that the genie punched away with a loud "ORA!", blinding one of the Eyebats. "ORA! ORA!" the genie continued screaming taking out more of the Eyebats. "ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORA-ORA!"

Eventually when the Eyebats were all plucked off, the genie began setting his sights on Kishin Cipher's main minions. He started with the Henchmaniacs, punching out Xanthar, Amorphous Shape, Keyhole and Lavalz, making them scream like a crocodile bit them or they were shot off a ledge as they fell towards the forest.

In one desperate move, Teeth grabbed onto one of the pterodactyl's wings and bit down hard, causing the creature to lose balance and Djinn's lamp form to fall out of his Meister's hands. "Galland!" Zubaidah cried out for her weapon, but he was more accepting of his fate. "My dear, it has been an honor." he calmly thanked her before his fall was broken by a recovering Eyebat petrifying him as payback.

The pteranodon meanwhile made an emergency landing somewhere far away from the Dream Kishin's soldiers. "Aw, did the bad tooth man hurt you Princess Buttercup?" Free cooed to their steed. "Don't worry, a few kisses will take the ouches away!"

"You can cut it with the baby talk, it won't be long before they catch up to us." Mira interrupted tending to Buttercup's wound. "Think you might have spoke too soon!" Eruka cried looking up into the sky as the remaining beasts touched down on the ground to corner them. "Three down, and the rest of you to go!" the Madness of Envy snarled with a wide toothy grin. "Now which one goes first?"

"We shall hold them off, you go run for cover!" Mifune ordered the rest of the group as he, Tsar, Feodor, Tezca and Enrique prepared for battle. "And Sid, watch over Angela for me." the samurai said regretfully as he set his young witch companion down, as if he knew he wasn't going to make it.

With that, the rest of the party ran off away from the monsters while more of them appeared and the fates of the others left unknown.

"Mr. Sid, what's gonna happen to Mifune?" Angela asked the zombie. Sid was silent the whole way through as they fled.

Meanwhile back in Death City, the Pines twins were sitting in Class Crescent Moon while Stein gave another lecture. Mabel was aimlessly drawing pictures on her paper while Dipper was hard at work, his stacks of notes almost reaching the ceiling. "Mabel, can you pay attention please?"

"Aw come on Dipper, we've already heard most of this stuff from back in Gravity Falls!" Mabel replied. "Is that so? Tell us, what did Stein teach you?" a voice belonging to a young man wearing thick glasses who seemed to be bald except for a pair of horns on his head. "He taught us lots of cool stuff, like wavelengths and resonances and all that junk!" the sweater girl said. "Hey, hate to trail off but your hair looks kinda funny."

"For your information, they are my pillars!" their fellow student hotly declared. "Wait, pillars? Are you serious?" Wendy asked suddenly butting in. "I think we should all just keep quiet, including you Ox." Maka added. "Ox? That seems like a fitting name." Dipper remarked before the five of them were interrupted by Stein throwing a scalpel just above Mabel's head, cutting off a few strands of hair. "Whatever you were talking about, I suggest you finish and then get back to work."

"Very well then. The three of you meet me after class, where we shall settle things." Ox declared returning to note taking. The twins nodded in agreement, eager to test their skills against an established Meister like him. Wendy on the other hand just looked on in confusion just wondering what she got herself into.

"So you guys are gonna fight Ox?" Black Star gasped after class. "You guys have your work cut out for you, he's one of the top students of our class!"

"Yeah, all because he got mad at Mabel for insulting his hair." Dipper answered. "I'm sorry guys, just thought I could point that out!" his sister added. "And by the way, those pictures I was drawing during class were of cool battle outfits for all of us." With a grin, she pulled out that paper with all her designs on it.

"Am I wearing a ninja suit?" Dipper wondered. "Loving the flannel skirt on me!" Wendy added. "You really got a knack for designing kid! Want some help making those?" Liz offered. "Sure, the more the merrier you guys!" the younger girl gratefully replied. "And I'll come along as well. Trust me, you're gonna need someone with a sense of fashion like mine." Pacifica interjected. "All right, fashion team is a go!"

After a long montage of clothes-designing, the combat uniforms were completed and ready to be modeled. "Okay gang, you all ready?" Mabel asked to Dipper & Wendy while they were inside a pair of changing booths. "I don't know sis. Hate to admit it, but our outfits look kinda ridiculous in real life." Dipper confessed. "I mean, my suit is just a bit too skintight and what's the point of this scarf?"

"Dude, this is Mabel we're talking about. I'm sure these will look good in action." Wendy answered. "Well, here goes nothing."

Finally stepping out of the booth, Wendy was now clad in a pine green high collar halter top with a pair of black straps crossing over her chest with a snowflake symbol connecting in the middle. Beneath the red flannel skirt that went down to her knees were a pair of black shorts with matching thigh-high stockings to go with her regular boots. She also had an orange over-shirt that opened to reveal her snowflake badge and her hair was in a ponytail. "Dude, this is killer!"

Dipper finally relented and stepped out as well, revealing a dark blue ninja suit with a white pine tree symbol on the chest, a red scarf covering his mouth, black boots and Excalibur's custom scabbard resting on his back. "This isn't as bad as I thought I would be."

"They do look quite good on you." Death the Kid commented. "I agree! The clothes do bring out your respective personalities." Tsubaki added. "And I've already made a uniform for myself! Wait here everyone!" Mabel stated before she ran off. After a few more minutes, she returned wearing a magenta top with black string holding it together, a dark pink undershirt, pink belt, purple skirt with her famous shooting star pattern, white stockings and black boots. Overall, it was a fancier version of her usual attire.

"You think a scythe would go well with this look?" Mabel asked pulling at her skirt. "Aw who cares? I did a pretty good job on it anyway!"

"Now then, let's settle things with that Ox guy." Dipper declared sheathing Excalibur. "You ready Excalibur?" he asked his sword. "FOOL! Of course I'm ready boy, whether you wear a ridiculous outfit or not!" Excalibur declared, much to the boy's embarrassment.

Later that day outside of the academy's entrance, the fight was about to begin with Ford, Stein, Spirit, Marie & Azusa present as per school rules and the other Mystery Meisters spectating. On one side were Dipper, Mabel & Wendy in their new combat uniforms.

On the other side was Ox along with another black-haired student wearing a red-tinted visor & a permanent frown. The other Meister-Weapon teams with the two boys was a black male with two much smaller youths dressed in matching overalls with colored caps standing below him and a pink haired girl in a sailor uniform standing beside a similarly dressed brunette lass.

"Who are all those other guys with Ox?" Wendy asked. "Those are some of our other classmates." Maka answered. "That's Ox's weapon Harvar D. Eclair right next to him, then there's Kilik Rung & his twin weapons Fire and Thunder, and finally Kim & her weapon Jackie."

"I don't know about this Ox. All this because one of the new guys insulted your pillars?" Harvar commented. "I know this may seem petty my friends, but I feel I have been dealt a great injustice." Ox stated. "Harvar's right, we should just call this off." Kilik agreed. "But then again, they could use some training."

"So which one of us should go first?" Mabel asked. "We could draw straws, pull out a wheel to spin or maybe rock-paper-scissors." she suggested. "Let's go with rock-paper-scissors." her brother declared pounding his fist into his palm and the girls did the same before tossing their hands out while chanting "ROCK PAPER SCISSORS!"

The trio's game of roshambo began as the three continued chanting, much to the confusion of the audience. "Are they for real?" Kim deadpanned staring blankly at their three opponents. "Whatever, I call dibs on the one with the flannel skirt."

"I shall challenge the girl with the braces." Kilik replied. "Guess that leaves me with Dipper." Ox stated as the game ended with Dipper winning out. "Yes, I get to go first!" he cried in excitement before he prepared for battle. "So then, you ready Ox?"

"You bet I'm ready." his opponent stated as Harvar transformed into a spear with a lighting bolt shaped tip in his hands. "Let the battle between Dipper Pines and Ox Ford & Harvar D. Eclair begin!" Azusa announced. Within seconds, the two went from staring each other down to charging with battle cries as their weapons clashed. "For someone who's new to being a Meister, you aren't too bad!" Ox commented.

"And I see you're talented at it!" Dipper replied. "But the only difference, my weapon is the strongest in the world!" he boasted, much to Ox's surprise. "Wait, you mean your sword is..." It wasn't long before the pillar boy put on the Excalibur face.

"Do not let your hatred of Excalibur distract you Ox! Find an opening and strike!" Harvar exclaimed. "Try using anything metal on his person as an electrical conduit!"

"Okay, you do realize that explaining your strategies in front of an opponent is a bad idea, right?" Dipper remarked being pushed back by the Lightning King. "In that case, here's some of my own!" Within seconds, the boy disappeared & reappeared behind his opponent, giving his a mighty jab in the back. The two clashed once more to the point of exhaustion and they panted heavily, taking a knee.

"You're wide open!" Ox shouted and he & Harvar declared "LET'S GO, SOUL RESONANCE!" in unison, turning the blade into a powerful cutting tool that went at Dipper at the speed of light, but the boy was quick and leaped upward, preparing one final attack. "HERO THE ATOMIC!"

With a mighty zoom, Excalibur made contact with Ox causing him to explode and knocking him to the ground. "Ox Ford and Harvar D. Eclair are no longer able to fight, marking Dipper Pines as the winner of the match!" Asuza announced gesturing to the aforementioned victor. The young detective jumped for joy in celebration before he noticed Ox struggling to get up, and offered his hand. "You fought well Ox. Sorry about what we said about your hair."

"Apology accepted." Ox replied taking the Pines brother's hand. "But how are you able to wield Excalibur and not get so pissed off by him?" he asked. "Trust me, I've dealt with a lot of people like him." Dipper said slinging the Holy Sword over his shoulder. "Okay, who wants to go next?"

"I'll take a shot." Wendy accepted getting into a fighting stance with her left hand holding her axe behind her and her right in front. "You ready Jackie?" Kim said to her weapon as she transformed into a lantern. "You bet I am Kim!"

"Let the battle between Wendy Corduroy and Kim Diehl & Jacqueline O'Lantern Dupre begin!" Ford declaring taking his turn as referee before Kim made her first move, pulling a metal bar with a chain attached to it out of the lamp and taking herself sky-high like she were riding a broomstick.

"Damn, she's got a good advantage!" Wendy muttered trying to think of a way to bring her back down to the ground. She then looked at her axe and smirked, tossing it at the Meister hoping to send her crashing. But suddenly Kim made the flames spouting out of her weapon erupt, knocking the axe back to its owner and hitting Wendy on the arm. "Someone's playing dirty!"

"Quick, while she's down!" Jackie exclaimed as her Meister returned to the ground. As quick as the girl could run, she whipped out her lantern and used it as a flamethrower on Wendy, causing her to start screaming like crazy and rolling around to put out the fire. "Wendy Corduroy is no longer able to fight, making Kim Diehl & Jacqueline O'Lantern the winners!" Ford announced. "Are you okay there Wendy?!" Dipper called out to his teenage friend. "I'm fine everyone, just a few probably/hopefully first-degree burns."

"I think I can help with that. Just stay still for a bit." Kim said putting her hands on her opponent's arm. "Are you really sure about this Kim, especially in front of academy staff?" her weapon fretted. However the Lantern Meister didn't listen as she began to chant. "Tanucoon, Raccoon-coon, Ponpon, Ponkitanu."

Within seconds, Wendy's burns vanished and she was completely back to normal. "Whoa, what did you just do?!" she exclaimed. "Are you a-"

"Witch, I know." Kim stated resignedly. "Aha, she was right!" Ford exclaimed triumphantly. "That's one witch in hiding down, now who else could there be? I'm getting mighty suspicious of those two ladies from Chu-" Ford then realized everyone glaring at him before he fell silent. "Terribly sorry."

"It's all right if you're a Witch or not Kim, cause you're still our friend." Maka stated warmly. "Okay peoples, let's get the final round over with!" Mabel exclaimed. "I suppose you might be the last guy?" she asked Kilik and his twin weapons. "Indeed I am. I wish you good luck Mabel." Kilik answered arming himself. "Let the final round between Mabel Pines and Kilik Rung & his Pots begin!" Marie announced.

"Okay, she doesn't seem like much. Unlike her brother, she doesn't seem to have a weapon besides that grappling hook of hers." Kilik examined his brightly-colored foe while she aimlessly twirled a bit of her hair. "This could perhaps be an easy match."

"Heads up!" Mabel called firing a pair of Nyarf darts at Kilik's glasses, blinding him. "What the?!" the Pot Meister exclaimed taking the darts off his eyewear to find Mabel spinning a pair of yo-yos around before she started playing with them like a pair of clackers.

"That was only a wakeup call, my next trick ain't gonna go easy on you! This is what I call my Yo-Yo Volley! HWAH!" However when Mabel tossed them in the air, they instead clashed with her head causing her to exclaim "OH NO!"

"What is up with her?" Sid exclaimed in awe of the girl's perceived foolishness. "This must be her preferred fighting style, making herself look childish to distract her opponents and going in for the kill!" Stein suggested. "That is pretty accurate." Soos responded as Kilik became more befuddled at his opponent's antics.

"Is-is there anything else you got for me?" Kilik asked before Mabel rapidly stuck a sweater over his head while shouting "SWEATER TOWN!", blinding him once more. "How does she even function?!" the Dominican boy exclaimed taking it off and preparing a Soul Resonance with his Pots. Jumping up into the air, Kilik prepared a powerful vertical strike with the left Pot now brimming with electricity.

But Mabel was quick and simply ran away from the Meister readying her grappling hook. "GRAPPLING HOOK!" she shouted hooking to his shirt and sending herself flying towards him. Kilik soon noticed the girl and slapped it away, causing her to fall down. "Still got one more shot!" she struggled to get one last attack in & fired her hook once more, managing to grab Kilik's glasses and snatch them off his face. "I can't see! I can't see!"

Finally the match was over as Mabel touched down to the ground while Kilik landed flat on his face. "Kilik Rung, Pot of Fire and Pot of Thunder are no longer able to fight, making Mabel Pines the winner!" Marie declared. "And with two wins under their belt, Dipper's team is victorious!"

"Woo, we did it!" Wendy celebrated. "We all did great out there, didn't we?" Dipper said giving his sister a high-five. "And you were pretty good too you guys." Mabel added to the three Meisters. "Thank you very much, though you still have a lot of training to do." Kim replied. "And you know what would make great training?!" Black Star suddenly chirped in. "Basketball!"

"That's a great idea Black Star, an opportunity to hone our coordination and reflexes." Ford agreed putting a hand on the ninja's shoulder. "However, I get to make the first shot. Are we clear?"

"Yes Mr. Pines." the kids chorused. "Come with us, we'll show you to the basketball court." Maka stated leading the Pines twins to their usual court.

"Okay dudes, time for some b-ball!" Soos announced at Death City's local basketball court as everyone got ready to play while Stein, Spirit, Marie and McGucket sat on the sidelines. "Okay as we promised everyone, I get the first shot. Capishe?" Ford reminded them dribbling the ball. "Good. Now heads up!"

He tossed the ball at Black Star who immediately made a break for the hoop. However Dipper was even faster and blocked the ninja before he passed it to Wendy. "Hey, I'm open!" Pacifica cried getting in Crona's path.

"It's times like there that make me long for something like the old days, wouldn't you two agree?" Spirit sighed nostalgically longing for anything similar to times long past. "Yeah, makes me wish I were a student again, where I wasn't as concerned about my age." Marie responded. "Speaking of which Stein, remember back when you would beat the snot out of anyone regardless of who they are?"

"Don't remind me." Stein stoically answered preparing to leave and taking a smoke. "Poor little Georgie, that boy simply couldn't keep hold on any longer. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to do some more important business. Catch you later."

Meanwhile the game was still in full swing with the basketball now in Mabel's hands. "Just try and get me you guys!" she challenged hoisting it over her head. "Now Mabel, dunk it!" Dipper shouted to his sister and she complied, tossing it at the hoop. But unfortunately it hit the backboard instead and whizzed toward the girl, much to her displeasure. "Oh crud."

With a mighty slam, Mabel's face made contact with the ball and she was out cold. "My word, Mabel!" Ford exclaimed as everyone stopped what they were doing to check the girl out. "Is she okay?" Tsubaki asked worried for the younger lass. "She'll be alright, just taking a dooze." McGucket stated feeling her pulse. "Has Mabel ever played basketball before?" Liz pondered. "No, I don't really think so." Dipper said. "She mostly just watches the games for the players, if you know what I mean."

While everyone was talking, Mabel continued to slumber with a large bruise on her cheek from the impact of the ball. But what she didn't expect was that this coma would change her forever.

When Mabel opened her eyes, she couldn't find her family and friends anywhere. In fact, she wasn't in Death City at all, rather in a small room inhabited only by a few chairs and a table. One of these chairs in particular was being sat on by a rather familiar being with his hands folded and head turned downward mumbling to himself "Vklqljdpl lv qrw zkdw kh vhhpv. Vklqljdpl lv qrw zkdw kh vhhpv."

"Uh, excuse me gibberish man, but where am I?" Mabel wondered looking around the room before she stared at an imitation of Michelangelo's David with Bill as the statue's head. "And why does that statue of the naked man have Bill's face on it?" Suddenly the statue became offended and came to life to shout at her. "Hey for your information pintsize, I am a work of art that looks like a naked man!"

"Vklqljdpl lv qrw zkdw kh vhhpv." the figure in the chair garbled one last time before he eerily looked up at Mabel, revealing himself to be none other than Kishin Cipher. "Why hello there Shooting Star." he politely greeted her with an equally eerie grin. "How nice of you to stop by for a chat. Have a seat my dear."

The unoccupied chair then became sentient and scooped up Mabel making her sit on it before it became a normal chair once more. "Could I interest you in some jelly babies?" he offered the girl a bowl of literal miniature infants made out of jelly that began crying loudly to Mabel's disgust. "I see you're not hungry right now kid, especially since you're now unconscious."

"Speaking of which, where am I and how did you get in my head?!" Mabel cried trying to flee but instead had numerous belts holding her down. "Oh I have my ways my sweetest Mabel." Kishin Cipher stated bringing their chairs closer together so that he could mockingly pinch her cheek. "Thing is, I'm not really here at all! And no I don't mean like this is a dream, I am simply projecting myself into your thoughts."

"Okay, you gotta stop that!" Mabel snapped taking the Dream Kishin's hand away from her face. "Oh you little starlight, never change! In fact, you kinda remind me of my own sibling." Kishin Cipher said. "Ah, I remember my baby brother Will fondly. A total square and a crybaby too. Tis a shame I had to burn him alive along with the rest of the second dimension."

"What are you implying?" the sweater girl asked nervously, fearing what he was going to say. Kishin Cipher simply grinned and gave his answer. "Do Pine Tree and Sixer know yet?"

"About what?"

"About the rift."

Suddenly the lights shorted out leaving the two completely in the dark. When they came back on, Mabel was now in a movie theater surrounded by clones of Kishin Cipher filling the seats, with two more atop a balcony. "Gotta say, we got a full house here tonight!" the first clone on the balcony remarked. "Doesn't seem like it, it's only one guy!" the second replied before they laughed loudly.

"What are we even doing here?" Mabel asked once again trying to escape. "Stay in your seat and be quiet during the movie you!" a Kishin Cipher dressed as an usher commanded shining his flashlight to make her stay seated. Finally the movie began, which turned out to be a B-movie style recap of the buildup to Weirdmageddon.

"Wiggity wiggity what's up Mabel, you would not believe how that big-nosed idiot grandpa forced me to leave my family behind and become just like him!" a more radical version of Dipper announced on the big screen stepping into the scene. "What?! You're telling me you'd rather pursue your dreams than return home with your insanely selfish sister!?" a unicorn that was supposedly playing Mabel shouted, but the real Mabel was not amused. "That is not a good choice of actor and an even worse impression of me."

"But not inaccurate! DOHOHOHO!" the Kishin Cipher clones on the balcony chortled before the main Kishin Cipher fired a blast that destroyed them and the balcony with them. "Why would you say she's a horrible choice?! Celestabellelabethabelle utterly nails the part with how horrendous she is, just like you!" K.C shouted. "Now keep quiet!"

"Yo take a chill pill sis, I'm only following my dream of being a closeted dick of a nerd! Not everything has to be about you brah!" movie Dipper argued. "It should be, I love everyone and they should love me back despite the fact I treat them like garbage!" movie Mabel shouted back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to deliberately take the wrong backpack and cause the end of the world! Catch you later!"

"So, what do you think so far tin-teeth?" Kishin Cipher asked his mortal companion. "Have your eyes been opened yet?"

"Okay, maybe I can be a bit selfish but how you portray me here is totally not true!" Mabel critiqued. "I most definitely don't treat the people I love like trash!"

"Oh really, then think about all the "good times" you had with your brother!" Kishin Cipher angrily stated folding his arms in disgust. "Let's see, making fun of his height, manipulating him to give up all his romantic advances to fulfill your own desires, ignoring him in favor of some creep who makes out with puppets, and last but not least handing over the one thing that would ensure my dominance over the entire universe! Speaking of which, the best part should be coming up right about now."

"Oh woe is me! I have been ostracized for completely justifiable reasons!" the movie Mabel began crying in the forest. "If only there was some way to make summer last forever without the consent of everyone else!" Suddenly an actor playing Bill dressed in an insanely poorly made disguise that was literally just the time traveler Blendin Blandin with a mustache appeared. "Hello, my name is TotallynotBillCipher, and I'm here to avoid getting blamed for intentionally bringing about the end of the world!"

"That director sure picked the right guy to play that handsome devil!" Kishin Cipher praised the portrayal of Bill. "And I should know, the director is literally half of me!" he added as the flick went on. "Why hello there little girl, what can TotallynotBillCipher do for you?"

"Oh I just wish someone could come along and help me not accept the consequences of my actions!" Celestabellelabethabelle complained to TotallynotBillCipher. "I know how! Just give me that rift and I'll show you something really cool!" the other actor offered. "Okay, here is the rift that my brother was forced to not inform me about, now go off and destroy everything!"

"Yay, victory is mine! And I have you to thank for it Mabel, my new god of destruction!" TotallynotBillCipher declared shedding his disguise to reveal a horrendous CGI model of the triangle himself before Celestabellelabethabelle was beaten over the head with a sledgehammer, simulating the creation of Mabel's prison bubble. "Don't worry boys and girls, we only used a stunt double who is probably gonna spend centuries in the hospital! That's all folks, and don't forget to drink more Ovaltine!"

The film finally ended with rounds of applause all over. It was clear they were giving praise to it all except for Mabel who started booing, which ceased the cheering and caused the Kishin Ciphers to glare at her. "Hey, this person has a completely different opinion about this masterpiece from us! Let's mercilessly cyberbully her into changing her mind!"

"Yeah, I bet someone paid her to boo it!" another clone agreed which caused the unanimous praise towards the film to a full-blown riot against Mabel that chased her out the theater. "I fail to see how this is supposed to make me realize I wasn't a good person!"

"Are you really that blind squirt?!" Kishin Cipher hollered. "Perhaps you could use a familiar face to convince you." With a snap of his fingers, the angry mob vanished and in their place was an exact double of Mabel, only her hair tufts were pointier, her regular sweater was powder blue with Bill's symbol on it, sharper teeth and an overall inhumanly lankier figure. "Anti-Mabel?!"

"In the flesh my loathsome copy." Anti-Mabel declared. "Did you really think I was gone for good? Well as it turns out I've been drifting throughout the mindscape plotting my revenge which is where Kishin Cipher discovered me while he was gathering forces for his revenge. And he gave me an offer I most definitely couldn't refuse!"

"And that would be?" the good Mabel wondered before a third eye appeared on her evil counterpart's forehead. "Power in exchange for helping me with revenge on you. And that power?" Anti-Mabel stated. "Why making me into a Kishin of course!"

"Wait, is that why Asura has that weirdo third eye?" Mabel continued asking. "I always kinda thought it was become of some enlightenment nonsense." But suddenly before she could ask anymore, Kishin Cipher made her mouth disappear. "Now then prickly muffin, my newest minion here is gonna be ridin' shotgun for a bit so I want you to keep your mouth shut! Unless it's the words 'I gave the rift to the insanely handsome and intelligent Bill Cipher. I hope you can forgive me.' Understood?!"

The mouthless Pines sister shook her head which brought a smile to the two's faces. "Attagirl, you're so obedient when under pressure." Anti-Mabel grinned. "Whoa, let's not go there braceface!" Kishin Cipher exclaimed making his eyes all screwy and pulling on an imaginary tie before he returned to normal and spawned a basketball in his hand. "Happy trails Shooting Star."

With a single slamdunk, Mabel was knocked to the ground once more and finally returned to the conscious realm.

"Hey, I think she's waking up!" the familiar voice of Dipper exclaimed hopefully as his sister slowly awoken. "Oh thank goodness you're alright!" he added hugging Mabel. "Thanks Dipper."

"You know, maybe you should just sit the rest of the game out." Ford suggested sitting his great-niece down on the bench. "And maybe we can get an ice pack for you when we get home too."

"Yeah yeah, speaking of home," Mabel said finally about to confess. "there's something that I've wanted to say for ages. Remember when the rift cracked in your backpack Dipper?" she asked. "Yeah, you were still kinda to blame for it but it was just an accident. No harm no foul." her brother stated. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, that's not the whole story." the little girl revealed. "When I got super torn up about you potentially staying in Gravity Falls when the summer ended to be Ford's apprentice, I accidentally took the wrong backpack that conveniently had that rift thingy you two were all hush-hush about."

"How did she know?" Ford gasped in shock. "Wait, a rift? What's going on?" Maka wondered just as puzzled. "Anyway, when I wished for summer to last forever in came a chubby time-traveler Dipper & I met once who said he can use it to do so. But it turned out he was actually possessed by Bill."

"Meaning..." Dipper pressed on. "I gave the rift to the insanely handsome and intelligent Bill Cipher." Mabel finally revealed. "I hope you can forgive me."

"It's fine Mabel." Dipper said quietly, having now learned of what really caused Weirdmageddon. "Phew, glad to resolve that after so long!" Mabel sighed in relief. "Now then, who wants to 1v1 m-"

"I don't forgive you."

"W-w-what?"

The atmosphere of the basketball court soon turned dark as soon as Dipper said those four fateful words. Everyone was at a complete loss over what just happened. Even Soos dropped his usual jolly nature as his blood ran cold. "Oh no."

"I said I don't forgive you. Listen Mabel, I know you can be selfish at times but this is the last straw." Dipper continued, his voice remaining tranquil despite his anger. "You deliberately endangered the lives of millions of people not just across the world, but the whole universe as well, just because you wanted to stay an annoying little brat."

"Now settle down, we can just talk it out and-" Tsubaki tried to calm everyone down before she was interrupted. "We are talking this out, and we don't want any interruptions." Dipper coldly remarked returning to his sister. "You really think that you expect to be rewarded after all the horrible things you've done to the people you claim to care about? If it weren't for you, I could've had the perfect summer with a cool girlfriend and apprenticeship! But you didn't want me to be happy or chase my dreams, you only want what makes you happy like forcing me to screw with time so that you can win a stupid pig, helping you pursue a hopeless crush or making me give up your future!"

"Please Dipper, cease this insulting of your sister at once!" Ford scolded the younger boy. "This is between siblings Ford, go find your own to call out!" Dipper shouted harshly, stopping the grunkle in his tracks and bringing tears to his eyes. "I know you're angry Dipper, but please don't take this out on your family!" Mabel exclaimed. "Besides you're one to talk for me being selfish! Remember Summerween or when you were jealous of me being taller than you?!"

"Okay, you're right on those but at least they didn't lead me to intentionally hand over the one thing that Bill wanted to use to destroy the universe!" Dipper screamed hotly. "Okay, you must break it up immediately!" Tsubaki ordered. "You're better than this Tsubaki, don't side with someone who'll take you for granted like Mabel!" the boy continued ranting. "Well then stop making everyone go against me!" Mabel replied just as furious. "You'll only abandon them because you love ditching the ones who care about you!"

"We aren't taking sides, we just want you to resolve this peacefully!" Kid shouted. "But how can we..." the twins said in unison. "WHEN YOU'RE BENT ON RUINING MY LIFE?!"

All was silent in the court once more until Dipper made one last declaration. "For someone who claims to be a good person, you sure are no better than Bill."

"I was going to say the same to you." Mabel choked before she ran off crying. "Mabel, please come back! I'm sorry for what I said, I was just blind!" her brother exclaimed giving chase. "Please just listen!"

Again the basketball court was deathly calm, everybody remaining staring in disbelief over what just occurred. It was only that the silence broke when Soos said two words he never thought he would say. "Holy shit."

"Wait, did Dipper say 'screw with time'? What did you do last summer?!" Maka exclaimed. The author remained silent for a few more moments to collect his thoughts, no doubt believing he was the only one at fault for making Dipper keep the rift's existence between the two of them, before he sighed.

"I think it's time we had a talk." He, Soos and Wendy sat down on the bench as the DWMA kids gathered around them like grandchildren excited to hear stories from their grandpa. "Now our story begins like most stories do with an attractive youth dreaming of more. This one in particular is about a strapping young genius and his perpetual motion machine."

"I'm truly sorry Mr. Pines, but what just transpired reminds me. I must have a word with my father about something." Kid said racing back to the academy. "What's he running off for?" Crona wondered. "That's another story entirely," Ford answered. "but for now, let's focus on this one."

"Just listen Mabel, we both have every right to get mad!" Dipper exclaimed as he lost track of Mabel more and more. Eventually when he ran out of breath, he stopped in the middle of the street and sat on some steps to silently cry over the ruination of their bond. Suddenly a door opened followed by a familiar voice. "Something the matter Dipper?"

"Oh, hello Professor Stein!" Dipper hurriedly exclaimed rising to his feet, getting a good look at his current location, a rather blocky grey-colored building decorated with stitches and arrows. "How did I get so far away from the city?" he wondered to himself before turning to the mad scientist. "Uh, is this your place sir?"

"Why yes, it's my lab." Stein answered throwing away a burnt out cigarette. "Would you like to come in?" he offered the lad. "Why of course doctor, your lab must seem really cool!" Dipper excitedly accepted following Stein inside. "Thank you Dipper. And please, just call me Frank."

The interior of the lab looked very ominous representing the Meister's emotionless love of science but also seemed a bit homely at the same time with sofas and a coffee table. But the most peculiar furnishing was a pair of disembodied hands being pickled inside a jar labeled "George R", much to Dipper's confusion as he picked up the jar. "Uh, who's George?"

"Don't touch, don't ask." Stein coldly ordered him taking the jar away. "Understand?" Dipper wordlessly nodded before he laid down on the nearby couch. "Now tell me, what is happening between you and Mabel?" the scientist asked displaying a surprisingly warm, even fatherly nature while sitting on the couch across. "I've heard what you said from inside when you found my lab. Is something the matter?"

With a deep sigh, Dipper began his story. "It all started late last summer a few days before our birthday on August 31st. After I saved Ford from an abandoned alien spaceship, he offered to make me his apprentice when the summer was over, but that meant leaving Mabel behind. It was absolutely suffocating to see her so sad like that. But then everything changed with that giant X in the sky that marked the beginning of Weirdmageddon."

"So it's like when that event began while we were in Gravity Falls rescuing Ms. Northwest." Stein commented. "I suppose judging by how panicked you were, Mabel didn't truly reveal what happened until today?"

"Yep. Turns out that when Ford returned to our universe through a portal he built that Stan used, the creation of a dimensional rift came with." Dipper continued. "He made me promise that I would not talk to anyone else about it except for him, not even Mabel. But now that proved to be our undoing and here we are."

"I see." Franken stated turning his screw. "You know Dipper, you kind of remind me of myself when I was a boy. Clever, determined, hungry for answers. But unlike you, I was a bit unstable in my search which often lead me to maim my fellow students. And yes, that is indeed where those hands came from."

"They were from that George guy, right?" Dipper asked. "Indeed, but thankfully he's still alive and with a pair of prosthetics that I helped build." Stein answered. "Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that while our mistakes can define us from time to time, they can also help us grow as human beings. I should know because like your family, I've made a few rash decisions involving yellow-colored manipulators myself."

"You're talking about Medusa, right?" Dipper continued. "Indeed. She actually beckoned me to side with her using my weakness of madness." Stein explained. "Thankfully I was able to come back thanks to Maka and Marie, but hearing what happened between you and Mabel just can't stop reminding me of that time."

"You know, you actually aren't as nuts as you claim to be." the boy remarked rising from his spot on the couch. "Maybe you've got a few screws loose, no pun intended, but when it all comes down to it, you're a surprisingly understanding guy."

"Thank you Dipper, and good to see a fellow genius sit down with me for once without fearing for his life." Frank replied tousling his hair. "Hey speaking of which, where did that big screw on your head come from? And how did you get all those stitches too?" Dipper wondered to which Stein replied with a sinister snicker. "Now that's a funny story."

Meanwhile with Death the Kid, he was set on asking his father about the connection the two of them shared with Asura. Marching toward the Death Room, he opened the door and went through the guillotine lined path to find Lord Death standing in front of his mirror with Eibon of all people next to him, even though they told the Sorcerer yesterday to stay down in the Secret Vault.

"Do you think he's learned about you-know-what yet?" Eibon asked his old friend. "I am not sure Eibon, but I dread the lad's reaction to it once he finds us." Death responded. "It's like you said, why must there be so many secrets?"

Suddenly Eibon noticed Death's son right in front of the two with his arms crossed. "Uh, my friend?" he stated. "What is it now Eibon?" the Shinigami asked before he realized who had walked in on them. "He's right in front of us, isn't he?"

"Indeed I am father." Kid answered coldly. "Is it true Asura is my brother?" he asked. "And if so, why did you keep this from me for ages?"

"So it's come to this." Death muttered defeatedly. "Indeed, Asura is your brother, created from a bit of myself just like you. But since he turned into such a reprehensible being, I couldn't bear to let you know that you were related to an embodiment of evil."

"And just as importantly, how did you leave the Vault when we specifically told you to stay down there Eibon?" Kid said turning to the aforementioned Sorcerer. "I simply couldn't stay down there any longer. I had to learn what had happened while I was away plus it was awfully dusty in there." Eibon explained. "I am terribly sorry for disobeying you."

"And I'm sorry for keeping secrets from you for eight hundred years. I do hope you can forgive us, especially me." Death stated miserably just as he felt his son hug him. "I'm sorry for not knowing any better father. Though I will accept this family secret more maturely than someone else I know."

"Thank you Kid for understanding." Death responded hugging the younger Death God back. "Wait, who is that someone else who isn't being mature?" he asked. "It's about the Pines twins."

Speaking of the Pines, Ford was rushing through the Academy halls in search of Mabel, thoughts about how the argument between her and Dipper was basically his fault for swearing Dipper to keep the rift a secret from everyone.

"I was an utter fool to make Dipper promise me! No, I was a fool to even build the portal in the first place!" the polydactyl muttered to himself suddenly skidding to a stop. "Whoa mama! I mean, excuse me miss but could you please tell me where my great-niece is?" he asked a short blonde woman with rather bizarre facial features. "She's about yay-high, mouth full of braces, colorful sweater, tears in her eyes after she was deemed worse than our family's arch-enemy by her own brother?"

"I think I may have seen someone like that." Auntie answered. "She probably went thataway." she revealed pointing to her right. "Thank you so much madame!" Ford exclaimed rushing to that direction, desperate to comfort the younger girl but was too blind to realize he had ran into a familiar woman and their glasses landed on the floor. "Can you watch where you're going miss?!"

"Why don't you watch where you're going? Now where are my glasses?!" the woman exclaimed grabbing Ford's glasses while he grabbed the woman's, and when he put them on he found Azusa right in front of him wearing his glasses. "Well this is awkward." Azusa commented. "Now can I have my glasses back?"

"Terribly sorry, as much I'd hate to say it." Ford apologized taking back his eyewear. "So, what were you up to?" he glowered at the East Asian Death Scythe. "That should be none of your business. How about you?" Yumi asked just as miffed. "I'm simply looking for Mabel. Have you seen her come by lately?" the author inquired. "I did. She was awfully miserable over something relating to her brother so Joe and I led her to the overnight rooms."

"Good, now where are those rooms?" Ford continued, his nervousness alleviating before Azusa made the big reveal. "You wouldn't miss them, they look like a dungeon."

"A WHAT?!" the author shouted as his concern turned to anger at the Death Scythe.

"So you're telling me these so-called overnight rooms is a goddamn dungeon?!" Ford ranted loudly while being led through the DWMA's underground by Azusa and Joe Buttakaki. "Chill out Mr. Pines, you're getting it wrong!" Joe tried to calm his nerves. "The dungeon is further down with a few torture rooms. Thankfully we barely use those."

"Thank you for your kindness Joe, but that doesn't change the fact that Mabel is so depressed, she locked herself in a flipping prison!" Ford shouted as they reached one of the overnight rooms where they could hear Mabel quietly sobbing while curled up into a ball. "M-Mabel, may I come in?"

Mabel replied with a faint groan before Ford stepped in. "Listen sweetheart, I know you may think you're to blame for what happened last summer, but I'd say the same to myself as well. If it were me instead, I would be just as gullible as you were." he calmly said stroking her hair. "Just please show me your smile again so that I can help you and Dipper make amends."

"Aw, isn't that sweet?" Mabel finally spoke up in a shockingly more callous tone. "You're actually caring for your family! But then again, old Pine Tree is beyond saving anyway."

"That isn't the Mabel I know! It can only be-" Ford exclaimed before Mabel rose up and turned around, revealing sharp teeth and the faintest third eye on her forehead. "Long time no see Stanford. It's me, Anti-Mabel!" Anti-Mabel cheerfully greeted him. "Did you really think I was gone forever?"

"How did you come back, and how are you possessing your good self?!" the six-fingered man asked terrified. "You can thank Kishin Cipher for that wrinkles! When he found me drifting through the mindscape plotting my revenge after I was defeated by you and my alternate selves, he made me more powerful than ever! Once I get rid of all of you, I can steal that Kishin soul for him and be paid handsomely!"

"I won't let you Anti-Mabel!" the old man shouted whipping out a laser pistol. "And what Kishin soul are you talking about?" he asked. "Lord Death actually keeps one amongst the crosses in his-" Joe began before Azusa shut him up. "Can you not Joe?"

"Oh come now Sixer, you wouldn't hurt your own family would you?" the evil Mabel said trying to get Ford to surrender. "My foolish other me has already suffered enough from her brother, but now another member of her family decides to ruin her life! It's times like these where Stanley of all people seems like the only Pines that could qualify as a good person."

"Azusa, Joe, get everyone possible and meet me in the Death Room." Ford lividly muttered, his hands twitching before dropping his firearm and reeled his arm back while the two ran away. "Oh look at that, I was right." were the last words Anti-Mabel said before Ford's fist gave her an overtly friendly greeting.

With the ting of a wineglass, the meeting in the Death Room began. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice." Ford announced to an audience of the remaining Mystery Meisters, Marie, Azusa, Joe, Eibon, among others while Lord Death stood next to him. "Today the reason I've gathered everyone here is because we have a new crisis on our hands."

He picked up the unconscious body of his great-niece and held it high, revealing the bruise mark on her face. "Mabel here has come under the control of an evil version of herself from another dimension that has allied with Kishin Cipher. Although I have put her to sleep, as much as I hated to, she stated her motives of entering the Death Room to retrieve the soul of Asura."

"Are you sure about that?" Dipper snarked standing next to Stein. "I bet she's only faking it to earn our sympathy." He was then ordered to shush by the Meister. "Anyway, although it may seem there's no way to rescue her, we actually do know of a method to do so." Ford continued. "We must go inside her mind itself and stop the source before it can get any worse."

"Question!" an innocent-looking young girl with mahogany brown hair chimed in with a raise of her hand. "Yes young lady?" Ford said preparing for any questions. "Are we like going to dissect her or something?" the girl asked, much to everyone's confusion. "No we aren't! I think." another girl with deep blue eyes and long blonde hair featuring a headband answered. "What are we going to do sir?"

"Pardon me for being rude, but how does going inside her mind equal dissection?!" Ford exclaimed irritatedly. "Sorry mister, don't mind Meme! She's just a bit out there." yet another girl with indigo eyes apologized for her. Stanford just turned to Death and asked "Let me guess, are they not in the EAT class?"

"Yessir, NOT class." Death answered. "Okay, would anyone like to take the floor for me?" Ford offered to his audience, and they answered by turning to Dipper. The boy just sighed and stepped to his great-uncle's side. "What we need to do is recite a certain incantation that will allow us entry into Mabel's mindscape. But since Bill is already inside it, there's no doubt he's waiting for us. So we need to suit up."

"We can use Mabel's drawings!" Patty exclaimed. "They are meant to be combat uniforms after all." she suggested and everyone agreed.

"Come to think of it, this reminds me of a plan Sid's been thinking of before he left called the Spartoi." Stein revealed. "A group of some of Death Weapon Meister Academy's most gifted students, among others. No offense to Mr. Hero or the girls of the NOT class."

"None taken." the aforementioned students responded. "But if we want to stop Kishin Cipher once and for all, all of the Pines must play an important role." Stein continued. "Now then, time to suit up."

Another montage of clothes-making later, the rest of the Mystery Meisters now had their own combat outfits.

Ford wore a light-colored buttonless shirt, simple khakis, a belt buckle with a cat symbol on it and a white coat bearing a six-fingered hand on the back.

Soos was now clad in tan overalls with a question mark on the front pocket, a black undershirt and wore his cap backwards.

Pacifica retained her black leggings & cream boots, but in place of her usual attire was a purple dress with a pink button-up frilled shirt that had llama fur cuffs and went down to a white sash.

Gideon had on a baby blue martial arts uniform and a dark blue undershirt with his pentagram symbol stitched onto the left sleeve.

And finally, McGucket wore a white-lined brown & black suit and a pair of green-tinted goggles.

The EAT students, except Hero, all had similarly colored uniforms of blue and white while the NOT girls had their regular clothing on.

"This is it everyone, our last foe before returning home." Soos declared lighting nine candles. "One question, how do we get into Mabel's head? I mean, we can't put our hands on her head at the same time, then there wouldn't be enough room!"

"I got an idea. Why don't one group go in first and then everyone else comes in as reinforcements?" Pacifica suggested. "Good idea there Pacifica." Maka agreed. "Now let's go over who will go first. Dipper, Pacifica, Mr. Pines, Kid, Black Star, Soos, Wendy and Crona will be the first team. Kilik, Ox, Kim and Hero are the second. And finally Gideon, Blair, Stein, Mr. McGucket and the NOT class are the third one."

"Nice idea Bishop 2." Soos complimented to the Scythe Meister's surprise. "Uh, what did you just call me?" Maka asked. "It's your codename dude. We all gotta have cool codenames if we're going on this risky mission. For example, our team is themed after chess, Ox's has a playing card theme and Gideon's is for Arcana."

"I'm not sure if I was told about this earlier, but carry on." Ox commented bluntly. "Well, see you all later." he added as Ford began the ritual. "Now, are we all mentally prepared for this?" he challenged to his teammates. "Make sure you have weapons by your side."

With a resigned sigh, Maka chose her father to be her temporary weapon until Soul was saved. Likewise, Ford and Azusa shared a tense glare before she became his temporary weapon. "Now that everyone's prepared, well; hope our sanities are intact before we fight Bill." He pressed his hand on Mabel's forehead and the others followed before the scientist began chanting. "Videntis omnium. Magister mentium. Magnesium ad hominem. Magnum opus."

Ford continued chanting which caused everyone's eyes to glow a bright blue. "Habeus corpus! Inceptus Nolanus overratus! Magister mentium magister mentium magister mentium!" In a bright azure flash, the group fell asleep, meaning they have finally entered Mabel's mind.

Dipper slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a familiar place. This was none other than Mabel's accursed dream world of Mabeland. "Oh God, not this place again." he moaned before the others got up. "What the hell is this weirdo place? Are we sure this is Mabel's head?" Black Star wondered brushing the back of his head. "Maybe we should ask that black and white person over there."

The team tiptoed towards a monochrome version of Mabel wearing a suit patterned sweater. "There is another dimension, beyond that which is known to man." the Mabel explained. "A dimension not only of sight and sound; but of mind as well. Your next stop, a land of both shadow & substance, of things and ideas. I will be your guide as you cross into: Neo Mabeland."

The monochrome Mabel pulled back a curtain to reveal the Mabeland that Dipper, Wendy and Soos knew, but it was more devastated & gloomy reflecting Mabel's current mindset and Anti-Mabel's dominance over her. "To your left is what was once dubbed Bubblegum Alley, formerly a place of childlike wonder similar to the rest of Mabeland." she narrated. "Now it is a shell of its former self, following a mental coup d'etat performed by an evil Mabel under orders from a certain someone."

"Okay, can someone explain what Mabel's doing here when she should be held captive?" Liz commented. "I am not the Mabel you should recognize, but rather a Mabel formed from her own subconscious that shall serve as your guide through this world. You may call me Twilight Mabel."

"Isn't that kind of like in that old show?" Crona asked. "Indeed it is Crona. Now then, follow me." Twilight Mabel replied leading the others on their path. "This place was once a paradise of color and fun, that is until a certain someone took things too far when secrets were revealed."

"Can you blame me? Mabel full-on intentionally caused the end of the-" Dipper shouted before Pacifica smacked him in the face. "Okay, that's got to stop Dipper!" she interrupted him. "I know you're super pissed about what she did, but who cares?! If you or Ford were in her shoes, chances are the exact same thing would happen!"

"But she had no idea what it was yet handed it over anyway!" Dipper defended himself. "Well, that's pretty much my fault." Ford confessed. "If only I weren't so secretive and untrusting of others back then."

"Yes indeed, the power of trust can be a double-edged sword." Twilight Mabel interrupted. "On one hand it feels good to be trusted, but on the other-"

"SHUT YOUR DAMN NARRATING ALREADY!" Black Star screamed smacking Twilight Mabel on the back of her head. "I am only trying to assist you my friends, and give some important life lessons in a very mentally scarring fashion." she calmly stated. "This Mabel's right, what matters now is finding our Mabel." Spirit stated. "So where to?"

"I believe your first step should be following me." Twilight Mabel replied. "Step right this way toward the ice cream beach." she announced walking towards a seemingly normal beach where a group of cartoonish dogs stood with their backs turned to the group and arms spread out over a sea of orange juice.

The heroes just stared silently in wonder at their current surroundings, contemplating how a little girl's broken heart would affect her this much. Then suddenly they heard a loud moan. "What was that?!" Pacifica shouted pulling out a basic spear. The troop frantically looked around the shore fearing that enemies might be coming. Luckily, none were coming from behind them, but rather rising from the orange water.

"Are those supposed to be from Mabel's imagination?" Tsubaki wondered gazing upon the monsters that took the shape of cuddly animals and many odd beings, led by the being Dipper had dreaded the most ever since he first stepped foot. "Yo, what up brahs! It's me, the new and improved Dippy Fresh!"

"W-what even is that?!" Kid exclaimed resisting the urge to laugh. "I'm Dipper's superior and more supportive counterpart assigned by my master to protect her at all costs." Dippy Fresh stated summoning an exact replica of Excalibur. "FOOL! My power can be imitated, but never completely duplicated!" the real Excalibur cried out in defiance. "Come at us with everything you've got imposter!"

"Sure thing old guy!" Dippy Fresh declared summoning more monsters crafted from Mabel's mind to his aid. "You just had to open that big nonexistent mouth of yours, didn't you?" Dipper groaned sighing. "I think we might need reinforcements!"

"You mean contacting Death? Which one of us brought a mirror?" Black Star wondered before the rest of the team shrugged. "Dammit, we're gonna need a good reflective surface to use!" he muttered. "Or we could use my Shinigami powers," Kid suggested. "but I'm quite preoccupied right now!"

"I think I know how." Dipper said glaring at his radical counterpart who was already waiting for a battle. "Come on lamebrain, I'm waiting!" he called out casually spinning his sword around. His smug attitude was soon immediately broken when Dipper came charging and their blades clashed. "Tell me where my sister is, or else!"

"Fat chance dude! Why would she ever want to see you again after all you've done?!" Dippy chided backflipping away and firing a black beam from his blade. Dipper on the other hand sliced it in two and sent its halves flying towards the nearest beasts. "I may have screwed up on that part, but I can learn! And she can learn too!"

"Learning's for chumps anyway!" Dippy Fresh shouted with a smug grin continuing to seemingly gain the upper hand. "Why can't more people wear their hats backwards, say outdated catchphrases and disrespect authority like me?"

"You know what, you're right." Dipper agreed with his mirror self. "WHY CAN'T MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU HAVE THEIR HEADS BACKWARDS?!" With a single stab through his mouth, Dippy Fresh's overconfidence became as broken as his neck as Dipper skewered his sword through and twisted his head in a perfect rotation, ending him once and for all. "Must've been dark times, those 90s."

Dipper picked up his fallen dream version's visor and let out a puff of air on it, fogging up the lenses and allowing him to contact Death. "42-42-564, use this to knock on Death's door." he chanted causing Lord Death to appear on the lenses. "Hey Lord Death."

"Howdy and hello my boy!" the Shinigami cheerfully greeted. "Whoa, what happened here? Did you manage to locate Mabel yet?" he asked. "No, we're currently outnumbered by a bunch of monsters that have been summoned, and we need help! Send in everyone!"

"Which ones?" Death responded. "EVERYONE!" the boy screamed out startling the headmaster of the Academy. "Okey dokie then, the rest will be here in a jiffy!" The message cut off just as a shadowy tendril emerging from Dippy Fresh's arm snatched the visor from Dipper's hands and smashed it. "Uh uh uh lamer!"

Dippy Fresh let out a ghastly laugh while his eyes turned blood red, his skin white as bone and his radical attire being replaced with rags. "Not cool how you broke my neck there dude!" he shouted in a menacing deeper voice. "Now let's see how YOU made me feel!"

"You leave him alone!" Ox cried out dropping from above to impale Dippy Fresh with his spear. Kilik & the Pots, Kim & Jackie, Hero & Mai, Gideon, Blair, McGucket, Stein & Marie and the NOT girls soon followed. "Knew you would all come through!" Dipper cheered. "Anything for you kid!" McGucket exclaimed. "So what's all this?"

"We're going to need someone to cover for us while we find Mabel! Are you all willing to help?" Ford explained. "Will do Mr. Pines!" Tsugumi said as she and her three Meisters Meme, Anya & Ao saluted. "Good! I got a new plan!" Dipper announced. "Queen, Bishops 1 & 2, Rook, Knight, Pawns 1, 2 & 3, Jack, Deuce, Ace, Chariot, Empress, Hermit & Hierophant are all coming with me! That tower over there is where I found Mabel last time, so she must be there!"

"I knew those codenames would become a thing!" Soos cheered before their group raced toward a sandcastle while Dippy Fresh reemerged. "No no no, they can't reach the real Mabel!" he shouted angrily. "Xyler, Craz, after them!"

A pair of knights in rusted black armor nodded to their master before giving pursuit, preparing their weapons to kill. The heroes continued racing toward their destination when the knights attacked. "None shall pass bro!" the first knight declared and the second added "Stand down or face our awesome wrath!"

"You really aren't making yourselves look threatening when you're speaking like surfer dudes." Stein remarked smashing their helmets to pieces with Marie's hammer form, revealing a duo of brightly-colored radical young men underneath, one with blue hair while the other was a blonde with a tan. "Xyler and Craz?" Dipper exclaimed. "Don't tell me Kishin Cipher has you under his control too!"

"Kinda brah, we were just LARPing when that evil Mabel jazzed on in and took over." Xyler explained. "But now that you guys are here, we can help you save Mabel!" Craz added. "Actually, this is our mission alone." Wendy politely refused. "But you guys can help out by taking out the monsters chasing after us!"

"Sounds good to us dude!" the dream boy duo shouted picking up a skateboard and a keytar to fight with while the group continued onward. When they finally reached the top of the tower, Mabel stood with her back turned. "Mabel, it's us. We're here to rescue you." Dipper assured putting a hand on his sister's shoulder. "I'm sorry for everything. Think you could forgive me?"

"LOL, forgiveness is for dorks! Everyone loves me because they think I'm silly!" Mabel exclaimed squishing her cheeks. "That's not Mabel!" Ford shouted pointing Azusa at the girl. "Yeah, she can be kinda silly, but I'm pretty sure she would never say forgiveness is for dorks." Pacifica added.

"Naw bros, this is totally what Mabel is like!" Dippy Fresh declared suddenly behind them while performing a goofy dance. "You just have to accept it and-"

"I would let you finish, but YOU SHOULD BE DEAD!" Dipper finally snapped performing a mighty slash that interrupted his 90s self's free-to-play game-esque jig and sent him falling to the ground below. "Now as for you."

"Oops, looks like my cover's been blown!" Anti-Mabel chirped dropping the act and revealing the real Mabel inside a cage. "You think you're so much smarter, but you'll never be as mature as I am!"

"So is your definition of mature being a really annoying sadist?" Maka snarked preparing Spirit for a battle. "Yeah, kinda." Anti-Mabel hissed before she summoned a large stuffed cat dressed as a judge behind her. "Behold my partner Judge Kitty Kitty Meow Meow Face-Shwartztein! And of course, he shall judge you!"

"Yer all guilty!" the cat shouted pounding his tiny gavel and made them lose their footing. "Court is now in session! And the crime: disrespecting our new lord & master and your own sister as well!"

"STOP SAYING THAT!" Dipper screamed stabbing Anti-Mabel with Excalibur. "Can we just put this blaming to rest and let us have Mabel already?!" The boy was on the verge of tears, both from irritation over the inhabitants of Neo-Mabeland and regret from yelling at her earlier. "I promise, the two of us can be siblings and never fight again! We can patch things up, I'm sure of it! Just please, please...give me back my sister."

There was dead silence in the area before Anti-Mabel let out a hoarse, high-pitched, hateful laugh and wiped a tear from her eye. "Gotta say Pine Tree, you are pretty stupid when emotional!" she sighed. "Maybe a little knock on the head will fix things." The feline judge over her readied his gavel for the final blow. Dipper closed his eyes in acceptance of his fate as the hammer just about reached his face.

Until Twilight Mabel, Maka and Spirit blocked it. The weapons struggled against each other as the regretful brother opened his eyes in shock. "Go, save Mabel! We'll take it from here!" Maka urged him. "But what about you guys?!" Dipper asked. "It's okay. She's family, and families always protect each other." Twilight Mabel assured with a grin.

"How could you Twilight Mabel?! I thought Mabels had to stick together!" Anti-Mabel shouted in disbelief. "I think the proper term would be 'Family sticks together.' Don't you have one of your own in your world?" Twilight Mabel coldly inquired. "Of course I did! They were all a bunch of fools anyway." the other Mabel answered. "An incorrigible flirt, a charity obsessed hippie, a wannabe video star & part-time DJ and the first pig to ever be arrested for armed robbery! They were all just as anti-lovable as I am, and I will make sure that I prove love is nothing but for losers!"

"Are you truly sure about that?" Spirit stated. "I'm definitely a pervert who lost his wife because of it, not gonna lie, but I know that deep down my sweet baby girl still loves me! Even with our differences, there's no doubt that I will stick by Maka every step of the way no matter what!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Anti-Mabel retaliated with a negative-colored rainbow that swept Maka & Twilight Mabel off their feet. What she didn't account for was Dipper trying to unlock the cage his real sister was trapped in. "Uh, anyone got a lock pick?"

"I think Ragnarok can help." Crona stated confidently while his Black Blood partner sprouted from out his vest. "This'll be easy-peesy!" Ragnarok declared musing over the cage door before he decided to up and rip the door off, tossing Mabel out with it.

The girl slowly got up before her brother quickly embraced her while bursting into tears. "I am so sorry Mabel! I'm sorry I got so mad, that I said you were no better than Bill, and that I basically got you into this mess! Please just forgive me already! It's okay if you don't, because I'm really stu-"

Mabel shushed him with her trademark tin grin. "Oh quit it bro. You were pretty stupid, but I was too." she whispered hugging him tight. "We can be stupid together."

"Thank you Mabel, I really needed that." Dipper stated as they broke and wiped off his tears. "Awkward sibling hug?" he offered spreading out his arms. "Stupid sibling hug." the sweater girl replied and they finally embraced after so long, with a casual "Pat pat." added in as well.

"Kids!" Ford cried rushing up to hug them. "I am so glad you decided to be stupid together! Now we can-" He was interrupted by Anti-Mabel striking him in the back. He dropped the kids and was brought to his knees, writhing in agony. "We can't...let you win."

"Stanford!" Azusa shouted using her wavelength to guard her current Meister. "Azusa, you saved me." the polydactyl gasped in wonder. "We may have our differences, but one thing's for certain." Yumi declared. "The kids can never be harmed on our watch."

The two, alongside Stein dual-wielding Marie & Spirit, charged at Anti-Mabel ready to defend the children even if it costed them their lives. "If you think teamwork can help you, then so be it!" the anti-lovable Mabel challenged before Shwartzstein merged with her, forming a feral pink cat creature with another eye atop its forehead.

The only sounds coming out of Anti-Mabel's mouth now were loud roars while bearing its grappling hook claws. It lunged at the adults ready to maul them before the Pines twins came to their defense, both wielding Excalibur. "Leave our friends alone!"

"So it's just down to the Pines family now?" the empowered Anti-Mabel snarled. "I can accept that. Just need the rest of the pieces off the board!" With a single swipe of her hand, the rest of the Mystery Meisters were blasted out of the tower, destroying the walls and leaving only Dipper, Mabel & Ford behind. "Come and face me you three! Or are you just going to stay there frightened?"

"You can't scare us any longer!" Ford growled readying his fists in lieu of Azusa before his great-nephew & niece stopped him. "Rest Grunkle Ford, and bring back the others." Dipper commanded him. "We'll take Anti-Mabel from here." Mabel added. "And mark my words, we'll finish this and go home."

Ford simply nodded and raced downstairs while the twins readied themselves. "Oh just cut it! We all know they'll just die anyway no matter what you'll do, and you won't even care!" Anti-Mabel snapped. The twins however gave no response while holding Excalibur together. "Can't say we blame you Anti-Mabel."

The evil Mabel raised a brow in both confusion and fear. "We can be stupid, we can be silly, heck! We can be selfish too!" the prime Mabel declared. "But we're still kids. Well, only post-preteens but you get our point."

"There's still time for us to grow, to change." Dipper added. "And there's still time for us to stop you, save the universe and our loved ones. People can make really big mistakes, but we can't let them define us for the rest of our lives."

"They can help us develop our lives." Mabel concluded while they glimmered with Excalibur's energy. "In other words, it's finally time for us to grow up."

With a mad dash towards Anti-Mabel, the twins shined brighter than they could ever imagine and they finally stabbed her in the chest.

"FAAAAAAMILY FIIIIINISHEEEEERRRRR!"

Anti-Mabel's jaw dropped in complete and utter fear as the Holy Sword's blade slowly dragged itself upwards toward her head. She barely had enough time to scream out loud when it sliced her in half and the resulting explosion consumed her. "NO! NOOOOOO!"

"We...we did it." Dipper gasped for breath. "Yeah. Guess we did." Mabel added before they fell to the ground. Luckily for them, there was no one else except for all their friends when they finally landed. "KIDS!" Ford cried out picking them up off the sand. "Are you two all right? Exhale once if yes!"

"Don't be such a worrywart Ford, we're fine." Mabel stated reassuringly. "Yeah, we stopped Anti-Mabel, saved Mabel and our family bond is stronger than ever." Dipper added. "Indeed it was children." Excalibur commented. "But this can be seen as only the final exam! With her out of the way, our next target should be none other than Kishin Cipher!"

"Excalibur is right. And I shall be behind you every step of the way." Twilight Mabel responded as Mabeland began to fade away. "Well, guess this is goodbye." Dipper bade farewell to their guide Mabel. "Thank you for helping us find my sister."

"You are very welcome my alternative brother." Twilight Mabel smiled before she began to fade to white as well. "We all shall meet again someday, in the magical world of Mabeland."

Mabel moaned as she opened her eyes and before her was a bright blue sky. "What happened? Where am I?" she groaned rubbing her head and turned around to see her friends' smiling faces. "Everyone."

"You're safe here Mabel. With us." Dipper declared hugging his twin one last time. "And you know who won't be safe?"

"Right." Mabel replied gazing at Lord Death's mirror. "Kishin Cipher."

"Bon voyage children. And when you find Stanley, tell him I said hello!" Death said turning his mirror into a portal. "But what about you?" Ford asked. "You probably can't come with us, so how can it be possible?"

"Oh I have my ways Stanford." Death stated. "Now off you go everyone! Go and save the world!" The Mystery Meisters, plus their six new allies, climbed into the mirror portal that would lead them to Gravity Falls, leaving Dipper and Mabel as the only ones left.

"Ready to head into the unknown?"

"Nope. But let's do it."

With that, the twins disappeared into the portal leaving only Death, Eibon and Joe behind in the Death Room. "Joe, Eibon!"

"Yes Lord Death?" the two responded willing to follow any command he gave them.

"Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work!"

IT! IS! FINISHED! After so long, Chapter 12 is finally completed! And I'm just so happy to finally get this over with since I have been writing it since November. Hopefully it was all worth it my loyal fans and I hope to see you next time on the penultimate chapter of Gravity Soul! But first, a little word from Twilight Mabel.

"It's amazing how far our heroes have come." Twilight Mabel commented. "What started as teaming up against an Eyebat to saving the universe from the combined forces of their greatest foes. It makes me so proud of our characters for developing so much, our author for staying so dedicated to his tales and you, the audience for staying by all the-"

Suddenly a pair of bandages wrapped around Twilight Mabel's mouth as Kishin Cipher came into view. "So Pine Tree, Shooting Star and their little pilgrimage are coming back huh? Adorable!" he grinned strangling the narrating Mabel to death before he glared at the readers. "Be sure to come back next time for my grand return to the story! And remember, I'M ALWAYS WATCHING YOU!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

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